A fearless mum has been praised after she kicked a burglar out of her home and then chased him down the street.
Shannon Thatcher was watching TV upstairs with her boyfriend Tim Daniels, at home in Newport, when she heard a noise coming from downstairs.
The 26-year-old listened in as the crook crept around downstairs and then ran down to investigate.
"I jumped off the bed to run downstairs and as I did the door closed and he was outside the house,” she said.
"I opened the door and asked him what he was doing. He said he was looking for number 20, I told him there is not a number 20 in the street.
"We got our shoes on to follow him and run after him as I wanted a picture for the police."
The mother-of-one said she got to the corner of the street and saw the burglar was being chased out of another man’s home.
Ms Thatcher said the man failed to take anything from the house but thought he had tried to steal her keys.
She said: "I will always keep the doors locked from now on, but I do wonder what if I was upstairs and my son was downstairs? It's a scary thought!"
Gwent Police confirmed that officers have launched an investigation into the incident.
A spokesman said: "We received a report of an attempted burglary in Lindbergh Close, Newport at around 3.50pm on Monday, January 31.
"A man reportedly entered the property between 2pm and 2.50pm but left when challenged by the owners without taking any items from within.
"He is described as white, of slim build and aged between 20 and 25 and with dark, short hair and stubble.
"He was wearing a light denim jacket with a white wool inner lining, darker blue denim jeans, a beige hat and white trainers.
"Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call us."
