Hero confronted burglars breaking into stranger's home attacked by masked raiders

Poppy Wright told how her father Simon Wright was walking up a gennel in Burncross, in Sheffield, when he saw a group of men burgling a house. With no thought for his own safety, the 55-year-old carer ran over to try to stop them. Three of the masked raiders fled but he caught a fourth man.

As he tried to detain him, the burglar punched him in the face. The others then returned and one hit Simon in the back of the head before all four started punching and kicking him. It was only when neighbours heard the commotion and came out that the burglars stopped the assault and fled, making off in a black Audi A3, said Poppy.

Poppy told how the burglars had managed to make off with some possessions but her father had stopped them before they could take more. She said the men were all believed to be in their late teens to mid-20s. They were wearing snoods covering most of their faces but her father had managed to take down the car’s registration number, which he passed to police.

He was left with some scars on his face and with bruised ribs which were so painful he found it hard to sleep following the attack, she said, but thankfully his injuries were not more serious.

“He just went in blind and did what he thought anyone would do,” said Poppy. “At the time, I was really annoyed because he’s my dad and he could have died if they were carrying knives or guns. But I’m really proud of him and I think what he did shows the type of man he is.

"The people who lived there couldn’t have been more thankful for what he did. To the scum who did this, I hope you get caught and drop soap in prison. There have been quite a few burglaries in the S35 area recently so I want people there to be aware of what’s happening.”

The burglary happened last Tuesday, October 25 and Poppy said the victims do not want the street to be named. Anyone with information is asked to call South Yorkshire Police on 101.