A PENSIONER who underwent open heart surgery just two weeks ago tackled a thief who walked into his home and refused to leave.

Arthur Taylor, aged 78, and his 74-year-old wife Ennis confronted the intruder after he came into their house through an unlocked door and sat in the living room.

The man started to talk to Mrs Taylor but refused to leave the couple's Heaton home and then stole her purse from her bag.

Mr Taylor, who was resting upstairs, heard his wife shouting and ran downstairs, then tried to grab the purse back.

After the man ran away, Mr Taylor was left exhausted and had to be re-admitted to the Royal Bolton Hospital for a check-up.

The incident happened as Mrs Taylor was watching television.

The intruder -- in his early 20s -- walked in, sat down on the settee and began talking to her.

She had left the front door unlocked because the district nurse was due to visit Mr Taylor following his operation on October 18.

After the robbery, a young man fitting the description of the thief ran into the toilets in the Victory pub in Chorley Old Road and used the pay phone to order a taxi to the town centre

Staff were suspicious and called police who searched the cubicles and found the purse. A small amount of money was missing.

The thief was white, 5ft 10in, slim build, with short cropped dark hair and wore a yellow anorak, crew neck jumper and jeans.

The couple's son Derek, aged 48, said: "The rat needs to be caught. My parents were very shocked that he had the nerve to just walk in here.

"My father ended up in hospital because he was trying to protect his wife and home."

Det Sgt Brian Langrish of Bolton CID said: "It was a very frightening experience for the couple and it could have been potentially nasty because the man had undergone major surgery."

Police want to speak to anyone who saw the man to come forward and call Astley Bridge CID on 0161 872 5050.