A heroic father from Wembley Park fought off armed robbers to save his petrified wife and four young children under attack in their home.

Rehan Sheikh, from Manor Drive, said he didn’t know where the strength came from as three men broke into his house, breaking two doors and threatening him and his family with knives.

After bravely fighting back, trading punches for their punches, the three men ran away into a white Astra getaway car.

The attempted burglary happened last Wednesday at 8.30pm as 38-year-old Mr Sheikh returned from his job as a property manager and was settling down with a cup of tea.

He said: “Suddenly I heard a big bang then another loud bang. I went through to the hallway and three people were there with one upstairs and one trying to go upstairs.

“One started punching me, saying “where’s the money, where’s the money” trying to get past me so I punched him back.”

Realising his wife was in the kitchen, he grabbed the man’s jacket as he tried to enter the room pushing him against the wall. “I don’t know where the strength came from,” he said.

Noticing another man coming down the stairs with a knife and not thinking one moment of his own safety delivered another punch to the assailant who promptly fell down.

A third appeared with a “hammer type” knife and punched him and again Mr Sheikh punched him back, the assailant falling.

Mr Sheikh said it all happened in “30 seconds, very quickly”. A car appeared and the frightened robbers scrambled to it. He tried to hold one of the robbers on his driveway, shouting for neighbours to call the police.

His children, aged nine, seven, five and three were terrified.

“My children were in the house. They told my children to go on the floor and they became very scared.

“Luckily I saved my family from them. I didn’t let them take anything. It wasn’t easy. They punched me, I punched them back. I rarely fight back. Some extra strength came from somewhere.”

A police spokeswoman said they were investigating an aggravated burglary. “Four suspects entered the house and demanded money. They ended up leaving empty handed. One of the suspects was believed to be carrying a knife or a hammer. Three suspects are described as white, in their 30’s and the fourth suspect described as Asian in his late 30’s. All were wearing dark coloured clothing. Enquiries continue. No arrests at this stage.”