Masked thugs left a 75-year-old man black and blue after bursting into his home and attacking him before making off with his savings.

Arthur Chew was at his home in Kent Avenue, Minster, on Sheppey , when the balaclava-clad thieves broke into his living room at about 9.30pm on Saturday.

He said: “I was sitting there and all of a sudden they came in, whacked me round the head and threw me on the floor.

“They told me to keep my head down. They kept saying ‘where’s your money?’ One stayed with me and the others would go out and look, then come back in. They hit me a few times.”

When asked how many intruders there were, Mr Chew said: “I think there were three of them, it all happened so fast, but there was definitely at least two.”

The father-of-two added: “They knew what they wanted, money.

“They tipped everything upside down, flipped the bed over and chucked everything on the kitchen floor – they ransacked the place. They didn’t take anything else, just the cash and went.”

Mr Chew said the suspects ran out of his back door. They took £600 of his money.

“When I realised they’d gone, I phoned my friend who called the police straight away,” he said.

The pensioner, who suffers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), was left with a black eye and bruises on his arms.

He feels “angry and upset” about the ordeal and wants his neighbours to stay aware.

“I just want to warn other people,” Mr Chew said. “There are a lot of people older than me that live round here and it might not be the same for them.”

He is now calling on housing provider Optivo to put more security measures in place to prevent such an ordeal from happening in the future.

Police are investigating.

A spokesman said: "Kent Police is investigating a report of an assault on a man in his seventies where three men are reported to have forced their way into his home at around 9.30pm on October 10 in Kent Avenue, Minster on Sea. The men are reported to have stolen a quantity of cash before leaving the address.

"As part of the investigation two women, aged 51 and 39, have been arrested. They have since been released pending further enquiries."

Anyone with information should call Kent Police appeals line for Swale on 01795 419119, quoting reference number 46/181952/20.

Alternatively, to remain anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Read more: All the latest news from Sheppey