A WOMAN and her young son were subjected to a terrifying knife ordeal after three men burst into their Portland home and demanded cash.

Police said the trio entered an insecure property in East Weare Road and kicked open the living room door where the victim and her young son were sitting.

One of the offenders threatened the victim with a knife and demanded money. He stole a quantity of cash from the victim, before searching her handbag and purse.

The offenders are believed to have left the scene in a vehicle on Tuesday night. The victim and her son were uninjured.

Detectives investigating the aggravated burglary described it as a ‘frightening attack’. It comes a day after another aggravated burglary in Dorset when masked men armed with a shotgun and a machete burst into a house in Piddletrenthide. Police said they are not linking the crimes at this stage.

The first offender in the Portland raid, who spoke to the victim and was armed with the knife, is described as white, aged in his 20s and with blond hair.

The second offender wore a plain black mask and the third man wore a hooded top with the hood up which concealed his face.

Neighbours expressed their shock, describing the incident as unusual in an otherwise traditionally quiet area.

Cllr Sandy West, who lives on East Weare Road and represents Underhill, said she knew little about what had happened but her sympathies were with the victims. She said: “That’s horrific – that poor woman. It’s unusual in this road. There are nice people here.

“If it’s the young woman I think it is, she’s a nice girl and I think it’s awful what’s happened. I just hope they get whoever it was.”

Cllr West said she would be available to speak to if the victim required any help or assistance.

Tracey Harris, who’s lived on the road for 30 years, said: “I haven’t known about any burglaries around here. I’d say it was an all right area. That’s why I’m still here.”

Meanwhile, Carl Wilber-Smith, another resident, said he had provided CCTV footage to the police.

He said: “You couldn’t see clearly what the car was. It was a dark-coloured one.

“It looked like a four-door hatchback. We’ve had a lot of incidents. That’s why I have got security cameras.

“The police just said it was an attempted burglary and that was all we knew.”

Detective Inspector Neil Devoto, of Western CID, said: “This was a frightening attack on a woman and her young son in the very place they should have felt safe.

“We believe that the offenders, who were wearing dark clothing, left the area in a vehicle.

“I would like to hear from |anyone who saw people acting suspiciously in the area at the time or who may have seen this vehicle.”

It happened at 7.19pm on Tuesday, December 16.

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police in confidence on 101, quoting incident number 16:371.