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MASKED men were chased off by a pensioner’s carer as they tried to break into his home in Staines shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day.

Michael Picton, 77, has a serious heart condition that means he requires regular care and relies on an oxygen supply to live.

He was sitting in the front room of his Carlyle Road home at around 12.30am on January 1 when the pair were spotted.

Mr Picton's carer and family friend, Tony Osborne, 32, also of Carlyle Road, was in the kitchen at the time when he heard the dog barking and noticed the men, who had their faces covered up, trying to get into the house.

Mr Osborne said: “I don’t know if they were targeting Michael or just trying to nick something.

“All the lights were on and I was in the kitchen making a phonecall while Michael was in the front room and then all of a sudden the dog started barking.

“I came out to see what was going on and saw there were two guys in the back garden and they were trying to get into the back door, but it was locked and then they were trying to break in.”

Mr Osborne then called the police who arrived in five cars and with a sniffer dog.

He added: “It was very strange. All of the lights were on in the house, and yet they still targeted this house but fortunately they didn’t get in.”

After the men were spotted they quickly fled the garden as Mr Osborne gave chase and ran after them.

He added: “When you see someone trying to break in your reaction is just to go after them.”

A spokesman for Surrey Police said: “Officers attended Carlyle Road in Staines at around 12.30am on Sunday, January 1 following reports from members of the public of an altercation between a group of men.

“Officers quickly attended the location and carried out a search of area but no altercation was found to be taking place.

“Police continued to monitor the area throughout the evening but there were no further reports of any incidents or disturbances.”

Mr Osborne added that the police’s sniffer dogs were able to trace the men as far as Wheatsheaf Lane before losing the scent, while a number of vehicles in the area were also stopped.