A woman asleep in bed in her house was shocked to be woken by two masked criminals searching her bedroom early in the morning.

The disturbing raid happened in Sutton-in-Craven, near Keighley, in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, and was followed by a police pursuit of a van, during which officers’ vehicles were pelted with radiators, bicycles, boilers and other objects hurled by the fleeing suspects.

North Yorkshire Police have now broadcast an appeal for information on the offenders.

The police spokesman said: “The woman was asleep in the early hours when she was woken by two masked men searching her bedroom.

“The men demanded the woman’s car keys, believing her car was a BMW parked outside of the property.

“When the woman handed over the car keys to another vehicle, both men left the property, leaving the keys and her car.”

The police say their officers were first alerted at 4.10am that day.

The spokesman said: “This is a disturbing incident which has left the homeowner understandably shaken and upset.

“We are appealing for anyone who lives in the Sutton area, who noticed anything unusual or anyone acting suspiciously in the area of North Row to contact us.

“They may have vital information which would assist our investigation. We’d particularly like to hear from anyone in the vicinity who has CCTV footage and believes they may have recorded these men leaving the area.”

People with information are asked to call North Yorkshire Police’s control room on the non-emergency 101 number, quoting reference number 121801 50783, or can give details anonymously to Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.

After being called out to Sutton, police officers pursuing a van thought to be connected to the attempted burglary faced a barrage of heavy objects thrown at them by one of the van’s occupants.

The chase, reported in the Telegraph & Argus earlier this week, began at about 4am, when the white transit failed to stop for police officers investigating the break-in.

The police spokesman said: “The van was followed into the Lancashire area, while one of the occupants of the vehicle threw objects at police vehicles. The pursuit ended in Burnley.

“A 34 year-old Keighley man was arrested on suspicion of burglary of a dwelling and theft, criminal damage to property, using a vehicle on a road without third party insurance, dangerous driving, failing to stop when required and burglary of a non-dwelling property with intent to steal.

“He has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.”

A police officer confirmed on Twitter some of the objects flung at police from the fleeing van during the early hours pursuit. He said these included tyres, radiators, bicycles and boilers.