A GREAT-granddad has confronted armed thieves after they broke into a Culcheth betting shop and attempted to steal the safe.

The 74-year-old, who did not want to be named, is the alarm key holder for Pagebet Bookmakers on Common Lane.

He was awoken by the alarm company at 1.40am on Friday, May 1, after the intruder alarm was activated.

The great-granddad, who is a cleaner at Pagebet, said: “The front of the shop was locked so I went around the back where I saw the shutter had been smashed and the door broken into and at that moment two men in black wearing balaclavas flew past me.

“I thought ‘thank God for that’ because I’m 74 and I’m not as young as I used to be but when I walked in there was another two.

“One had a small crowbar and I thought ‘I’m going to get battered here’ but luckily it didn’t happen.”

The pensioner, who has six children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, disturbed the burglars in the process of ripping out the safe.

A scuffle ensued between the armed burglar and the great-granddad who was pushed up against the wall sustaining slight bruising.

The pair then fled, empty handed, on foot in the direction of a nearby park.

He added: “I appear to have saved the company some money but the reality of what happened set in when I got home.

“The lads could see I was an old man and it wouldn’t have taken much to put me down.

“It would have been pretty bad had they been tougher – my wife of 55 years thought I was a fool and my daughters have told me off.

“I am just a humble cleaner. The alarm should usually have gone straight through to the police but for some reason it didn’t and I had to ring them myself after they had run off.

“If I get a call from the alarm company again I will phone the police before going down to make sure I’m not there alone.

“In my previous job I had been called out quite a few times and there had never been anyone there so it was quite a shock this time.

“I will make sure I’m not in the same situation again and if anyone else is in that situation they should always ring the police first to make sure they are not there alone with potential burglars.”

The four burglars are all thought to be no older than 20, of slim build and around 5ft 8in to 5ft 10in. They were wearing black clothing, balaclavas and black gloves.

Anyone with information should call DC Dave Aspinall on 0845 4580000 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.