Anji Rhys, 49, shot an intruder with a crossbow nicknamed ‘Manstopper’ after a gang wielding machetes broke into her home in Dunstable, Bedfordshire
A grandmother has revealed that she shot a masked thug with a crossbow after a gang wielding machetes burst into her home after mistaking it for a drugs den.
Anji Rhys, 49, grabbed the weapon, nicknamed ‘Manstopper’, when the four intruders broke in to her home in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, yesterday.
The weapons fan leapt into action after they broke in while she was watching TV, reports the Sun.
The ex-Thai boxer said: ‘One tried to grab me but I shot him in the belly. Then they ran.
‘I hit one in the belly at close range. He shouted, “You f***ing b****! You shot me!”‘
Ms Rhys said she thought there had been explosion when she heard her door was being kicked in.
She added: ‘I ran to see and was met by a masked man with a hammer. He was about 6ft 6in with a blue bandana hiding his face.
‘The gang chased me into the living room so I grabbed my crossbow from the wall. I had a tussle with a second man with a machete, a skinny man who walked with a stoop.
Ms Rhys is a weapons fan and has plenty of other weapons to defend herself with including a knife and torch she keeps by her bed
‘He went to grab the bow but I managed to spin and shoot him in the belly with it at close range. He fell on me, cutting my hand with the machete. I remember seeing there was blood over the floor.’
The group soon fled but not before pinning her son Dillon to the floor.
Unlike Richard Osborn-Brooks, she was not arrested after the attack because no one had come forward to report it.
Officers did however confiscate the bow she used to defend her son and partner Rebecca McCarvel.
Ms Rhys has left her job at a call centre because injuries to her head, hand and legs.
As a survivalist, Ms Rhys has plenty of other weapons to defend herself with including a knife and torch she keeps by her bed.
Ms Rhys added: ‘We need to pay much more attention to protecting ourselves, our homes and families.’
A Bedfordshire police spokesperson told the Sun: ‘We were called to reports of a burglary. Four men had forced entry armed with weapons. The occupant confronted the men and they fled after a short altercation.
‘The victim told police she shot one intruder with a crossbow but we have so far been unable to trace any injured party.’