Robbers who broke into a family home wielding a machete fled shouting ‘wrong gaff’ after they were challenged by the owner.

The victim had walked into the hallway of his home on Rectory Lane, Prestwich and been confronted by a masked man.

A second man was standing behind him outside. The man’s wife and 18-month-old child were in the house at the time.

He shouted at the intruders who both turned on their heels and ran back out of the door. As they fled from the property, one man shouted ‘wrong gaff mate, wrong gaff’ in a strong Salford accent.

The victim grabbed a steel mace and chased the intruders onto the street.

At this point the second man pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at the victim who dropped the mace and put his hands up in the air. The other offender also pulled a gun from his waistband.

The victim backed away towards his house with his hands in the air and eventually got inside.

The two offenders escaped from the scene on pedal bikes.

Police hunting the attackers have now released CCTV images of men want to speak to in connection with the incident which happened on Wednesday night at around 9.15pm.

Detective Constable Donna Haldane, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “The victim was incredibly brave to chase after these two men, who were armed with some very dangerous weaponry.

“Thankfully the man and his family are unscathed, but the fact is these men pose a serious risk to the public and it is imperative that we track them down.”

The first offender is described as white, in his late teens or early twenties, very slim, around 5ft 10in tall and spoke with a strong Salford accent.

He was dressed all in black, wearing a balaclava and was carrying a 8 inch-long machete with a square blade and a black pistol-type firearm.

The second offender is described as around 5ft 8in tall, slim build and also spoke with a strong Salford accent. He was also dressed in black and was wearing a balaclava.

Investigations have revealed two CCTV images of men matching the descriptions in the surrounding area, one at the Longfield Centre off Bury New Road, and the other on Heywood Road.

The detective added: “These images may not be of the offenders at all, they may be completely innocent members of the public, but it is vitally important we identify and speak to them, even if it is just to rule them out of our enquiries.

“If you can help us identify the men shown, or know anything else about the incident which may assist our investigation, please call us as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 4642 quoting incident number 140417/2307 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.