THIEVES got more than they bargained for when they were confronted by an angry pint-sized gran.

Agnes Wildman, a mere 4ft 11ins tall, came out fighting to kick the two intruders out of her Farnworth home.

The pair were startled at the aggression of the seven stone pensioner and ran off after snatching an empty handbag.

The defiant gran was recovering at home today and bitterly condemned the thieves.

Agnes, aged 77, of Rose Avenue, said: "I think they're pathetic.

"They were quite robust and I'm only tiny, so I bet they thought they could get the better of me.

"They looked quite shocked when I started scratching at them and telling them to get out of my house."

Agnes spotted someone at the window of her flat and thought it was her neighbour.

She opened a communal door and realised they were strangers. They claimed to be "carrying out a job" and had to turn off the electricity.

She immediately realised something was wrong and told them to go away, but they dragged her into her flat and started searching her living room.

Agnes fought back and the men panicked, running off with her handbag.

The pensioner, who wears size two shoes, later collapsed when she had an angina attack and had to be taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital for treatment.

Police were worried about her condition, but she quickly recovered and was allowed to return home.

Agnes, who has one son and two grandchildren, was born in Bolton and worked at Barlow and Jones mill, on Blackburn Road, and as a cleaner at St James's Primary School.

She said she fought back by instinct, because she has been robbed or burgled seven times in the past 15 years.

On one occasion she was stabbed in the leg as she walked across a park.

She said: "Years and years ago you never had this sort of thing.

"I don't blame it on the authorities, I blame it on the people themselves.

"I think they're pathetic. They probably wanted drugs and thought they could get something for nothing."

Det Chief Insp Buchanan, of Bolton CID, praised her bravery and appealed for information which he hoped would help catch the men.

He said: "She is a plucky woman otherwise this could have been much more serious."

The men detectives are hunting are in their 30s, and both wore dark anoraks and had dark hair.

Anyone with information can call Bolton CID on 0161 872 5050, or Crimestoppers on the free phone 0800 555 111.