Jim Naylor, 81, had his life turned upside down by the attack on Tuesday (Picture: Grimsby Live/MEN MEDIA)

An 81-year-old was held up at knifepoint at home by a masked gang of burglars – who took his bank cards, some cigarettes and £7 spare change.

Jim Naylor, who lives in the quiet village of Stallingborough in Lincolnshire, was left with a broken wrist and a bruised head and legs when the attackers hit him with a claw hammer and a crowbar.

They threatened to kill him in the violent ambush that was ‘like something out of a horror movie’.

The ‘traumatised’ pensioner has been living at a friend’s house since the attack and says he is terrified to live in his own house now.

Jim thought it was a friend calling for help when he heard a knock at his door around 1am on Tuesday.

Three men wearing balaclavas burst in, using a crowbar to open the door fully.

‘I tried to push them back as best I could, but they kept coming and beat me up with the crowbar they’d used to gain entry’, Jim said.

‘They started by asking me where I kept my money and all my valuables. When I told them I didn’t have any, they took the £7 in change that was in my bedroom.’

The pensioner was left with a broken wrist and a bruised head and legs (Picture: Grimsby Live/MEN MEDIA)

The thugs used a crowbar to open the door fully (Picture: Grimsby Live/MEN MEDIA)

He continued: ‘They kept hitting me with the hammer and then asking me where my safe was, but I don’t have one. That’s when they pushed me to the floor and became really violent.

‘The only way I could get rid of them was to give them my bank cards and tell them my pin numbers. 

‘They were holding a knife to my throat and telling me “I’ll come back and kill you if you’ve given me the wrong numbers”.’

The despicable gang demanded Jim gave them cigarettes and took five packs before fleeing the ransacked property.

After Jim asked a neighbour for help, police were called and the elderly pensioner was taken to hospital.

He says his ‘life has been completely turned upside down because of this’.

‘I was traumatised by the whole thing, I just kept thinking that I didn’t want to stay in the house anymore’, Jim said.

‘I might get over it in the end, but at the minute I’m staying elsewhere. They’ve ransacked the house and left it in such a state.’

He added: ‘I’m hoping someone can help track this group down. It’s normally so quiet here so this has come as such a surprise.’

Humberside Police is investigating the incident and has asked locals to come forward if they have concerns.

A spokesperson said: ’There will be an increased presence from officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team to provide additional reassurance. 

‘Please come and speak to those officers if you have any concerns. Enquiries are ongoing and we would ask anyone with information regarding this incident to contact us on 101, quoting log 25 of 20 December.’

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The attackers took his bank cards, some cigarettes and £7 spare change.