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Former England international Ian Wright has arrived back in the UK to be with his wife and children after they were burgled at knifepoint.

The pundit flew home from the World Cup in Brazil this morning after four men armed with knives broke into his north-west London home and held his wife and two daughters in a terrifying raid before making off with personal possessions.

The former Arsenal striker is understood to have dashed back to the UK after learning the gang had held a blade to his wife Nancy's throat, and shouted "punch her, kill her!"

The gang are also said to have threatened to slice off the children’s fingers if Nancy didn't hand over cash and jewellery, after forcing their way into her home when she answered the door around 9.20pm last night.

(Image: XPOSURE)

Nancy, 39, is thought to have been put in a bedroom while the couple's two girls were taken to another room.

Steve Kutner, Wright’s manager, told the Sun: “It was a terrifying ordeal. They marched Ian’s wife from room to room. I would like to thank ITV for helping Ian to get home as quickly as possible.”

Ian, 50, who has been working for ITV at the tournament in Brazil, last night tweeted: "You won't get away with it", and was said this morning to be "really upset and angrY'.

It's thought the family may have been targeted after they were seen playing in a nearby park, with the thugs responsible likely to have known Wright would not be at home.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We are investigating an aggravated burglary at an address in north-west London after we were called at 9.20 last night.

"Personal possessions were stolen. The suspects are described as four black men aged between 18 and 25, with London accents, wearing dark clothing and hoodies obscuring their faces."

A spokeswoman for Wright said this morning: "Ian is currently on a flight home from Brazil now and he lands at lunchtime. He is going straight home to see his family.

"We are very grateful to ITV for being so supportive and getting him back so quickly.

"Nancy is really shaken up. Their kids are so young that hopefully they aren't going to read into it too much. They are all physically OK - Nancy and the kids.

"Ian is just really upset and angry and just wants to come back and be with his family at this time."

Gus Poyet will step into the ITV punditry team for England's game against Uruguay this evening.

Wright's neighbours have also expressed their shock at the robbery, and described him as a "lovely family man".

Next-door neighbour Marianne Collinge, 70, said: "I suppose they could be a bit of a target because they do have beautiful cars.

"But they are very unpretentious people. They are one of us and I'm terribly sorry for them, it's awful."

Chris Martin, a neighbour in his 50s, said: "We were watching the Spain game when the police arrived last night and that's all we know about it.

"Ian is a neighbour and a decent family man. He's been living here several years and everyone around here respects his privacy."

The robbery at Wright's house is the latest in a string of raids on the homes of famous footballers in recent years.

Watford midfielder Alexander Merkel was robbed on the doorstep of his home in Hampstead, west London, by a gang who tried to batter down his front door with mopeds last month.

Wigan Athletic player James McArthur had his FA Cup winner's medal stolen in a burglary at his home along with two wedding rings.

Swansea City head coach and former player Garry Monk was burgled in November last year while he underwent knee surgery.

And a number of Merseyside footballers have also been targeted, including Everton and England defender Phil Jagielka, who was robbed at knifepoint at his Cheshire home in 2009.

The homes of England captain Steven Gerrard and then-Liverpool players Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt were also raided.

In 2005, former Bolton defender Mark Fish was tied up and robbed after his home appeared on TV show Footballers' Cribs. He was the second victim of raiders following an appearance on the MTV show after former England goalkeeper Ian Walker was also targeted.