Wife and elderly husband sat on burglar trying to steal their train set until police arrived

Former rail worker John Headington 85, and wife, Susan, 57 praised for 'remarkable bravery'

Lincoln Crown Court (Wikimedia Commons)

A woman and her elderly husband sat on a burglar who had broken into their home and was trying to steal their prized model train collection until the police arrived, a court was told.

Former rail worker John Headington 85, and his wife, Susan, 57, were woken in the middle of the night on 20 November as a burglar entered their house in south Lincolnshire.

Ms Headington alerted the police when she noticed the light in the room where her husband’s model train collection was kept had been turned on.

Robert Barnes, 28, armed with a butter knife, had used a brick to break into the property, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

As he emerged from the room holding some of the model trains Mr Headington grabbed him but he managed to break free.

As Barnes tried to escape he fell over and Ms Headington quickly sat on him to keep him pinned to the floor.

Mr Headington came rushing over and also sat on Barnes, trapping him in place until the police arrived.

Judge Simon Hirst described the couple's bravery as "remarkable" and said Barnes "took highly sentimental items and damaged them beyond repair", according to the BBC.

He also condemned him for "barging past an 85-year-old man".

Barnes, who had been drinking heavily and has no memory of the event, was arrested and admitted burglary and possession of a bladed article.

He has been jailed for two years and four months.