A burglar bit off more than he could chew when he came face-to-face with a determined householder.

The man was hurled down a flight of stairs and forced to flee from the scene after the angry resident got to grips with him.

The raider broke into the townhouse, in Beckside, Shelf, during the day by smashing a pane of glass in the first-floor French windows.

After rummaging around downstairs rooms he went upstairs, but was confronted by the 29-year-old householder who had been disturbed as he napped.

The man grabbed hold of the burglar and, after a brief struggle, threw him back down the stairs.

The intruder fled through the French windows, jumped to the ground and scaled a six-foot-high fence to escape to a waiting car, shouting “let’s go, let’s go”.

The vehicle is described as a Y-registered silver or grey Audi A4 convertible.

No-one was hurt in the break-in.

The suspect is described as white, aged about 30, of medium build, 5ft 10in, with short-cropped light brown hair and a pale, thin face.

Detective Inspector Tony Nicholson, of Calderdale CID, said: “The householder was having a nap upstairs in the bedroom when he was woken by the sounds of the intruder and went on to the landing.

“It was a shock for him to be confronted by a burglar in his own house, but, thankfully, he was not injured in the incident and the action he took ensured the intruder left without taking anything.

“He hurled him bodily down the stairs and it is fair to say the burglar bit off more than he could chew.”

Police are urging anyone with information about the break-in at about 11am on Wednesday to contact Calderdale CID on 0845 6060606, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.