POLICE are continuing the hunt for a pair of armed men who terrorised a father-of-three on his doorstep.

The 34-year-old was getting into his car at 5.30am on Monday when he was confronted by two masked men - one carrying a machete and the other armed with what was either a length of pipe or a gun.

The terrified householder ran back into his house in Musgrave Gardens, in the Gilesgate area of Durham City, and into his back garden where he rang police on his mobile phone.

As he did so, he heard a bang and the sound of breaking glass. He later found the glass panel on the front door had been shattered - although police said there was no evidence so far to suggest it was damaged by a gunshot.

The man's wife and two teenage children were asleep upstairs at the time of the incident. His third child, a girl of 11, had been staying at a different address that night.

Police say they are treating the incident very seriously and believe the attackers had been lying in wait for their victim in what had the hallmarks of a planned attack.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on 0845 6060365 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111