A TERRIFIED grandmother feared she was going to be killed when two thugs burst into her Hampshire flat, pinning her to the floor and holding a rag doused in chemicals to her mouth.

Michelle Gorry, who was left with burns to her face following the violent attack, has spoken of her horror as the masked men stormed into her ground floor flat and ransacked every room for whatever they could find.

The 70-year-old, who suffers from a heart condition, was wrestled to the floor by one of the raiders, as he tried to cover her mouth with a rag covered in an unknown chemical, while the other pounced on her son who was still in bed.

He was beaten and tied up.

Police are now hunting the raiders, who fled with more than £1,000 in cash, and the pensioner from Shirley, Southampton, is appealing for help to anyone who may have seen something or who has information to come forward so that those responsible can be caught before anyone else is hurt.

The terrifying ordeal happened just after 9.30am on Tuesday, when Mrs Gorry heard a tap at her front door as she got up to take her medication.

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Believing it might be the postman, she opened the door, but before she knew what was happening, two men, who had their faces covered, burst past her and pushed her inside.

She began struggling with one of the men, fighting him off as he tried to put the chemical rag over her face, before finally forcing her face down onto the floor, where he pinned her with his foot on her back.

As she lay there, dropping in and out of consciousness, she could hear her son, 41-year-old Seemon, fighting with the other man in his bedroom, before he was dragged into the kitchen and tied up with tape.

Grandmother-of-three Mrs Gorry said: “It was all so fast, it was unbelievable. I am just so thankful that we weren't killed.

“I really thought he would bring a knife out and kill me. It was terrifying.

“They were asking for money and all I could hear was my son pleading with them not to hurt his mum.”

Mr Gorry, who was staying with his mum the night before, was in bed when he woke up to find one of the robbers with his knee on his chest and was punched.

As the pair fought, Mr Gorry, who has the same genetic heart condition as his mum, which has required them both to have a defibrillator fitted to their hearts, was trapped in a chokehold and forced into the kitchen.

Mr Gorry added: “I was fighting for my life. He was choking me and I really thought this might be it.”

After they ransacked the house, the pair fled with the money and a camera.

Mrs Gorry was taken to hospital where she received treatment for the burns to her face and bruising to her body, including her hand which needed strapping up, as well as a check-up on her heart.

Mr Gorry suffered superficial injuries.

Mrs Gorry added: “We are in total shock. I just hope that if anyone knows anything that might help catch these people they will come forward and speak to police.”

Anyone with information about the robbery should call Detective Constable Mark Blake, at Southampton Central police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.