A WOMAN who was punched in the head and face by a burglar who broke into her home says she has been left living in fear.

Dee Tinsley, 46, of Eldene, was attacked by the armed man while alone in her house.

She said: "I had just got out of the bath and suddenly felt two hands on my shoulders. I was petrified. He held something hard against my back. I thought he was going to kill me."

Mrs Tinsley said the man dragged her by the hair to the top of the stairs at her home in Collingsmead and prised two gold rings from her fingers.

She said: "I tried turning round and he said: 'Don't look at me or you'll get it.' He tutted and kept thumping me when I told him there was no money. Then he forced my engagement and wedding rings off my fingers. They meant the world to me. It was like being raped."

Still clutching her hair, he told her to take off the gold bracelet, which was a birthday present from her 22-year-old son, Steven. She obeyed and then fainted.

She said: "He said: 'Undo it and don't break it.' I couldn't believe what was happening. I feel like a different person. He could have done anything to me when I lost consciousness."

The man scaled her 8ft garden wall and gained entrance through her back door, which was left open for the family dog, Nelson, before the attack at 10am on Friday.

Before leaving the house, he stole jewellery belonging to her 16-year-old daughter, Zoe. He also emptied Mrs Tinsley's handbag over the kitchen floor, taking her credit card and a £5 note.

About 10 minutes later, she came around and put on her dressing gown before calling the police.

"I can still feel his hands on my shoulders, all hot and sweaty. It was so terrifying, I don't feel safe anywhere," Mrs Tinsley said.

"The stress is killing me. I used to be happy go lucky, but this has changed everything. I can't understand how anyone could be so sick and stoop so low."

Mrs Tinsley is being comforted by family, friends and her partner, Robbie, 46.

"I am all knotted inside and don't want anyone to touch me," she said. "He may not have taken much money, but he has robbed me of my confidence."

Police are appealing for witnesses. The man is described as white, 5ft 6in to 5ft 8in tall, of medium build with a round face and in his early twenties.

He had dirty fingernails and blue eyes with very long, dark eyelashes. He wore baggy, wide-bottomed, dark blue jeans, Nike trainers and a burgundy Nike baseball cap.

Inspector Max Sharman, of Swindon police, said: "This is something we are certainly taking seriously. It is an aggravated burglary. Some sort of weapon was placed in the lady's back. We had the helicopter up and all units free were despatched at the time, but inquiries are ongoing."