Please see below.
Kind regards,
Ian
http://www.wirralnews.co.uk/wirral-...d-at-house-in-birkenhead-80491-29003702/A SUSPECTED burglar was stabbed during a raid at a Wirral house.
Police sealed off Clifton Road, Birkenhead, this morning after an elderly householder fought off a night time raid by two men – leaving one of them with knife wounds.
The 72-year-old suffered cuts to his face during a struggle with the men at 5.30am. The men, both aged 39 and from Birkenhead were in custody this morning.
Stunned neighbours saluted the have-a-go-hero’s actions as they woke up to police tape blocking their street and traffic diversions.
Dave Hughes, 46, said: "I was up at 6am when they were putting the tape up and I spoke to a police officer.
"They said that two people had broken into a house and the occupier had stabbed one of them.
"People who break in deserve everything they get."
Joanne Russell said: "I think they got here between 6am and 7am. My partner left at 4.30am and there was no sign of anything then.
"My daughter woke me up. It makes me feel sick seeing all these police here. It’s scary."
Two patrol cars remained at the scene this morning, protecting evidence, but there was no sign of CID or forensic support at the semi detached, turn of the century home.
Locals were being turned away from the junction of Borough Road and Clifton Road near the Birkenhead Tunnel flyover.
A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, added: "It’s obviously something very serious. I first became aware of this when we brought the kids out to get them to school.
"It’s fairly worrying to have something like this happen when you have a young family. It makes you wonder if you want to go on living here."
Less than a week ago justice minister Ken Clarke said it was acceptable for a homeowner to pick up a knife and stab a burglar. He said that an act of Parliament would be used to "clarify" the existing legal right to use "reasonable force" against intruders.
His remarks were prompted by the arrest of a householder after a burglar was stabbed in Salford the previous week.
Mr Clarke added it would remain illegal to pursue intruders, to attack them or to shoot them as they fled.
Mr Clarke said: "If an old lady finds she has got an 18 year-old burgling her house and she picks up a kitchen knife and sticks it in him she has not committed a criminal offence and we will make that clear."
Anyone with information is urged to call police on 0151 777 2265.