A Christ­mas morn­ing bur­glary at a Bel­mont home did not go as planned for ban­dits who were beat­en by a 74-year-old man.  

Po­lice said five ban­dits en­tered the Erthig Road home at around 3 am and kicked down the door of the bed­room.

The el­der­ly man armed him­self with a wood­en stick and at­tacked the sus­pects who ran out of the home.  

A pair of slip­pers and a hat worn by one of the ban­dits was left be­hind at the home as they es­caped.  

Res­i­dents on check­ing the house lat­er re­alised that a cell­phone and a 50-inch Sam­sung Smart TV were stolen.  Of­fi­cers of the Bel­mont CID were called in and are con­tin­u­ing en­quiries.