A machete-wielding gang broke a dad’s arm when they tried to rob his Middleton home last week.
At around 8pm last Friday, three men, their faces covered by scarves, smashed through the back door of the house on Lands End Road and demanded the car keys.
The man and woman refused to hand them over, and, with their two young children in the house, were brutally attacked.
The 43-year-old man’s arm was snapped when he was struck with the machete, and police believe it could be linked to a similar incident on the same street in December.
Detective Constable Charles Stewart said: “This is an appalling attack on a family in the sanctity of their own home, a place where they should feel safe.
“These three men thought nothing of using extreme violence against a family who refused to hand over their property, and it is vital we find these dangerous men as soon as possible so we can take them off our streets.”
Despite the terrifying assault, the three men fled empty-handed into the direction of Manchester Old Road.
The first attacker, who had the machete, is white and described as 5ft 8in tall, stocky build with green eyes.
He was wearing a black hooded top, baseball cap and scarf around his face.
The second offender is white and was wearing a baseball cap and black hooded top with black tracksuit bottoms.
The third offender is also white and described as mid-20s, wearing dark clothing.
An attack on the same street on December 5 last year saw four masked men force their way into a house, but again they left empty-handed.
On that occasion no-one was injured.
DC Stewart added: “We have a number of detectives investigating this case to try and identify those responsible and are appealing for anyone who saw these men before they went into the house on Lands End Road, or who saw them leaving the area after the attack, to get in touch with us.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police in Rochdale on 0161 856 8608. Alternatively, you can pass on information anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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