AN Army veteran has told how he confronted a burglar after waking to find the intruder standing in his bedroom doorway.

Walter Storey was woken by a rattling sound in his home in Blackwell Lane, Darlington, on Saturday (November 29) evening.

The 80-year-old widower shouted at the burglar to get out and the intruder fled - driving off in the pensioner's blue Fiat Panda car.

Mr Storey, who was uninjured but very shaken by the ordeal, said: "How would you feel if you woke up to find there was a fella in your bedroom?

"It's certainly no laughing matter, it's not funny at all.

"But, being a former soldier, I jumped out of bed and confronted him.

"I said 'who are you, come here' and he ran.

"He had got a set of keys out of my pocket and when I got downstairs, I realised he had stolen my car.

"This has never happened to me before. I've been burgled before, but not like this."

Mr Storey, who served in Korea and Egypt, said the light made it difficult for him to get a clear look at the intruder.

He added: "He was a big fella, he was facing me and the light was coming from outside, giving me a silhouette view and meaning I could not see his face."

Police are continuing to investigate the break-in.

PC Paul Dickenson, from Darlington police, said it was 'absolutely despicable' that a pensioner was targeted.

He added: "We are determined to catch the person responsible.

"The man woke up and saw a figure standing there.

"His health isn't great and the car was his lifeline – he used it to take his friends out for lunch and he's not sure what he's going to do without it."

Mr Storey said he was in contact with his insurance company with a view to replacing the car.

Police are particularly interested in information about a small, silver Peugeot car which was seen in the Blackwell Lane and Manor Road area of Darlington at about 10.30am on Saturday night.

PC Dickenson said the vehicle was spotted driving slowly and without its lights on.

Anyone with information is asked to call PC Dickenson at Darlington police on 101, quoting crime reference number DHM-29112014-0518.