A NEIGHBOUR is calling for action after his home was targeted by burglars just two days after a pregnant woman was threatened by armed attackers.

Jamil Hussain, of Edith Street, Blackburn, said he believed his home had been the orginal target for the burglary at his neighbour’s property.

The 26-year-old woman, who is seven months pregnant, was at home asleep with her three-year-old son when two men burst in through the back door with a knife and a screwdriver.

The burglars demanded cash and gold, but left empty handed after ransacking her home.

Mr Hussain, who runs Mohammed and Sons greengrocer, in Pringle Street, said just 48 hours after the attempted robbery on Wednesday, his home then became a target. The 45-year-old said: “I think I was the prime target because I have been doing business round here for 30 years.

“When they broke into my home, my daughter Nafisa, who is 22, was inside and I think her being in stopped them taking anything.

“Nafisa is in shock, she locked her bedroom door and screamed and shouted. Then she rang me.

Mr Hussain said the burglars broke in through his back door at around 2.30pm on Friday. The attempted robbery at his neighbour’s house happened around 1pm on Wednesday after the lock on the back door was broken.

Mr Hussain is now calling for Blackburn with Darwen Council to put up alley gates to prevent thieves gaining access to people’s homes. The shopkeeper said: “We applied for gates two years ago.”

But Coun Salim Mulla, who represents the Queen’s Park ward, said the gates were not in the budget for this year.

He said: “I am going to be sending an email to the divisional commander of police Chris Bithell to see if we can have some police presence in this area.”

But Mark Aspin, community safety manager at the council said he was still waiting for an application for alley gates.