A mother has revealed the horrifying ordeal she and her son endured when her home was raided by a gang of armed thugs.

At around 9.15pm on December 18 the mother was attending to laundry at the back of her house in Colney Heath when she was suddenly aware of a lot of shouting and movement.

By the time she reached the kitchen, she was faced with five masked men, three of whom were carrying long, machete-like knives and one was holding what looked like a gun in a sock.

She said: “There was blood up the wall because they had attacked my son, so I put myself between him and the gang, held my hands up shouting for everyone to calm down and I walked towards them.

“We ended up in the front room, where the gang became very aggressive.

“They said they were here for money.”

One of the gang picked up a box containing her late mother’s things and threw her mother’s wig across the room.

It was at this point she says she became “completely deranged”, and two of the gang members were ordered to take her back to the conservatory and her and her son were separated.

“I was going mad because they had invaded our home and touched my mum’s things. I asked them what on earth were they doing and how would their mum’s feel knowing they were doing things like this. I was not having it. I was distraught”.

The two gang members pictured held her in the conservatory. She said that while she did not feel that threatened by the boy with the knife, the male with the supposed gun remained aggressive and threatening throughout.

After about five minutes the other three members of the gang came back downstairs.

“They were demanding cash and jewellery but I said ‘over my dead body’. They would have to cut my finger off to get my mum’s ring. I told them again and again we did not have any cash in the house and by this point they believed me.”

They left shortly afterwards with her son’s watch and iPad, PlayStation and passport. She ran after them and saw them get into a car and drive off.

She called the police and within 15 minutes a squad of armed officers arrived at the house, and a police helicopter hovered overhead.

Her son was taken to hospital with wounds to his chest and hands and face where he stayed for 24 hours.

The mother said the raid has had a massive effect on the family, including her partner who was away at the time.

The police are appealing for information on the robbery, and anyone with any information can call 101, and give crime reference number F3/17/2779.

She added that she they will be caught soon.

Following discussion with the victims of this incident, it has come to light that our previous report contained some inaccuracies and has therefore been amended.