'I won't let cowardly burglar ruin my life'

A 74-year-old man who was tied up and threatened at knifepoint in his own home has branded his attacker a "coward".

Derek Upfield was subjected to the 30-minute ordeal by an unknown man, who took £500 worth of property and cash and a collection of his late father's medals, which had been awarded in the First World War.

But today, defiant Mr Upfield, a former cabinet maker, said he is determined not to let the attack ruin his life.

He told the Mail: "I was shaken up on the night and across the weekend I wasn't very good, but I'm over it now, it is in the past and I am going to carry on my life.

"Not for one minute am I going to let the cowardly actions of this man change my life at all."

Mr Upfield was sitting alone in his home along Bentley Grove, north Hull, when the doorbell rang at 10pm on Friday.

After answering the door, a man burst in the house, forcing the pensioner back inside, before hitting him in the face dragging him to a chair, shackling his wrists and ankles and threatening him with a knife.

After searching through the living room and kitchen – repeatedly threatening to kill Mr Upfield's dog Jimmy with an eight-inch blade – he found £100, which Mr Upfield was going to use to pay for a Greek language course.

He was then hoisted on to the man's shoulder and carried upstairs before being thrown on to the bed – all the time bound by the wrists and ankles.

The man then rifled through Mr Upfield possessions, taking a mobile phone, digital camera and a laptop computer before making the discovery of the medals in a wardrobe.

The offender is a white man, 5ft 6in to 5ft 8in, in his early 20s, of medium build, with short brown hair and a slim face.

He was wearing a dark, waist-length jacket, black trousers and carrying a black bag.

Witnesses should call Humberside Police on 0845 6060222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.