Kaneez Akhtar, the wife of Madni mosque's general secretary Mohammed Sultan, has spoken of her ordeal when the balaclava-clad trio burst into her Halifax home and robbed her of almost £5,000 in cash and jewellery. The raiders tried to gag her with masking tape and trap her upstairs.

"I was in shock," said Mrs Akhtar, 68. "I was praying it would be okay."
Police have just released details of the raid on the family home at Park Place, off Parkinson Lane, Halifax.

Mrs Akhtar was with her daughter when she answered a knock at the door to a lone Asian man, who asked to speak to Mr Sultan.

She explained he was at the mosque and went to get a pencil to write down his number.

When she turned back she was faced by three men pulling on balaclavas and gloves. Mr Sultan said: "She tried to run but one of the men grabbed her very forcefully."

They tried to gag Mrs Akhtar with masking tape while the robbers searched the house.

"They said they wouldn't hurt her, they were just looking for cash," said Mr Sultan.

Mrs Akhtar said: "I said if they let me go I would get them some cash."

She went upstairs with one of the gang to get the money and on her way down they trapped her on the stairs by blocking her in with a fridge.

She managed to haul the fridge aside and saw the gang escaping in a black N-registered car.

Mr Sultan said his wife called him immediately and he rushed home.

He said: "My wife is not harmed and my daughter is safe – it's just things that they took," said Mr Sultan, who has lived at Park Place for 23 years. "Everyone has heard about what has happened.

"We've had calls from London and Pakistan."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the robbery, which happened on Friday just after 1pm, or anyone with information to get in touch with Detective Sergeant Martin Milner.

The man who first went to the door was described as Asian, aged 23-25, about 5ft 8ins tall, slim, with a long face.

Contact 01422 337085 or CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.