A family held at gunpoint when armed robbers burst into their Bradford home to steal £60,000 of jewellery have told how they feared they would be shot dead.

Imran Hanif, 25, and his family had just returned to their home in Oakleigh Road, Clayton, when the robbers burst in after they answered the doorbell.

The family, including Mr Hanif, his wife, his sister-in-law and five children aged three to five, were herded into a back room of the seven-bedroom house in what is believed to have been a targeted daylight attack.

One of the armed robbers stood guard pointing the gun at the terrified family, while his accomplices ransacked the rooms upstairs escaping with gold bangles, necklaces sets, rings and chains.

Mr Hanif, who suffers from heart problems and diabetes, described how the terrified children huddled together in a corner of the room, staring out of the window, so they did not have to look at the gunman.

“One of them had to be taken to hospital afterwards because they had such a high temperature because of the stress,” he said.

“They would not look back into the room they were that scared and it was awful that they are just in that room with you.

“They didn’t look at us or the gunman and we were all absolutely terrified. It has really affected us and we can’t sleep at night.

“You hear about it in the papers and on the news and we could have been killed.

“They said ‘If anyone moves or talks we will shoot you’. It was an ordeal I wouldn’t wish on my enemies.

“I want them to be caught and don’t want anyone else to go through this.

“They were going to take the TV, but then they said they had “hit the jackpot” when they found the gold.

“It was like the perfect crime. They know that Pakistani families have lots of gold and the gold comes from all the family for wedding presents.

“My brother was asleep upstairs when this was all happening and I begged the gunman not to hurt him. We are so thankful no-one was hurt.

“We just want anyone in the area who saw anything to contact the police.”

Detective Inspector Mark Long, of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said a handgun was thought to have been brandished during the raid.

“This was clearly a terrifying ordeal for the occupants of the house, not least for the young children who were present at the time,” said Det Insp Long.

“The way the men methodically searched the property leads us to believe this was a targeted attack and we would like to hear from anyone that may know who these individuals are.

“They may have also tried to sell on the jewellery locally and we would like to speak to anyone who may have been approached with an unusual number of items, under suspicious circumstances.”

Anyone with information about the raid, which occurred last Saturday at about 3pm, should call the non-emergency number on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.