A 65-year-old man struck a prolific burglar with a golf club as he escaped from an upstairs window clutching watches and a gold bracelet.

Plucky Frank Lamb attacked heroin addict Stuart Dunn after catching him raiding his home in Redcar Road, Ravenscliffe, Bradford.

Dunn, 34, also of Redcar Road, was on prison licence for a similar confrontation burglary at the home of an elderly man when Mr Lamb surprised him in the bedroom of his home.

There was a struggle and Dunn threatened the pensioner with a dumbbell.

He told Mr Lamb: “Get out of my way or, seriously, I will do you,” prosecutor Dave McKay told Bradford Crown Court yesterday.

Mr Lamb, who became breathless in the struggle, managed to call the police and strike Dunn on the legs with the golf club as the burglar escaped from the property.

Dunn, who smashed the bathroom window to raid the house on Wednesday, December 4, last year, had burgled the home of a 73-year-old widow the previous day.

He admitted both offences and was locked up for 40 months.

The court was told that Dunn had been a heroin addict for 17 years which cost him £50 a day.

Dunn had 11 previous convictions for house burglary and three for attempting to break in to people’s homes.

In December, 2011 he was jailed for three years as a “three striker” for a night-time burglary at the home of another neighbour, 63-year-old Stephen Bowman.

Dunn was released from jail in June last year and struck again within six months.

He stole property valued at £2,000 from a widow’s home in Crowther Avenue, Calverley, after smashing a window to get into the unoccupied property.

The haul included watches and jewellery belonging to the victim’s late husband and late mother.

Dunn, who wore socks on his hands for both break-ins, took a screwdriver to the first house and a penknife to Mr Lamb’s address.

He was stuffing stolen goods into a pillow case when Mr Lamb came home from work.

The police went to Dunn’s home, knowing he was a prolific burglar who targeted his neighbours.

He fled from a window but was arrested soon afterwards.

Dunn’s solicitor advocate, Assumpta O’Rourke, said he was remorseful about his crimes and accepted full responsibility.

He was under the influence of drugs at the time and seeking treatment in prison, the court heard.

Judge John Potter labelled Dunn a “career burglar” and said he had caused upset and distress in the neighbourhood.