Couple's robbery horror

Three men wearing balaclavas forced their away into the Conisbrough house and forced the terrified couple to hand over the expensive jewellery they were wearing.

Retired jeweller Michael Meanley (57) has been left in shock and his wife Teresa (39) is now refusing to leave their home after both feared for their lives.

Mrs Meanley begged one thug not to kill her as he forced a diamond ring from her finger.

Another robber wielded a hammer as he took a £23,000 Brietling watch from Mr Meanley, who was dressed only in his underpants.

He believes that the gang may have been responsible for a series of violent similar raids on homes in the Mexborough and Conisbrough area in recent months.

Mr Meanley: “It was terrifying. One had a hammer. You don’t know with someone like that if you’re going to die or not.

“You don’t expect people to come straight into your house like that. They looked like somebody out of the SAS.”

The ordeal happened after the couple returned from the Balti Palace restaurant in Denaby Main just after 9pm last Thursday.

Mr Meanley said: “We had only been in the house a few minutes. I went upstairs to get changed for bed.

“Teresa opened the door for the dog to go out and they just strolled in. They must have been waiting for us.

“I didn’t even realise what was happening at first. I could hear talking downstairs but I thought a neighbour must have come in.

“I went to the top of the stairs and this man with a mask on was there.

“He asked me to open the safe, but we don’t have one. Then he told me to come downstairs.

“The robbers fled after Teresa managed to run out of the front door and started screaming. That seemed to put them off.

"I dread to think what may have  happened.

"They would probably have tied us up and tortured us.”

They made off with the watch, the diamond ring, £200 cash and an imitation Cartier watch they took from the bedside table.

Mr Meanley has offered a £5,000 reward for any information which leads to the robbers’ conviction.

A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: “We were notified of an incident on Thursday, September 2, at around 9.30pm. We  are continuing to investigate. The offence is not being linked with any other crimes.”