THE home of a disabled mum who narrowly survived after her heart stopped was raided by burglars just three days after she was discharged.

Paula Allen’s Warren Road home was one of eight in Halstead raided last Wednesday night.

Mrs Allen, 34, who has a joint disease of the spine, had been in Colchester Hospital with pneumonia and had to be brought back to life after her heart stopped for two-and-a-half minutes.

She was released from hospital last Sunday but was distraught when thieves stole jewellery and electronics worth about £3,500 while she and her family slept.

Items stolen included Mrs Allen’s £2,500 engagement ring, given to her by husband Mark.

Mrs Allen said the raid had had a big impact on children William, three, and Molli-Jayne, four.

She said: “My daughter keeps hiding her toys and saying ‘what if the bad man comes back?’

“It is heartbreaking, awful that she is doing that.

“I am trying to keep going but I keep breaking down and crying. It is a horrible thought that someone has been in your house. I just don’t understand the mentality of people who do this.

“We worked hard to get our belongings.”

The couple only realised the burglary had taken place when they could not find their car keys or Mrs Allen’s handbag on Thursday morning.

The couple’s cars were not stolen, but the keys had to be recoded. The handbag was found in a neighbour’s garden - emptied of cash.

“Apparently the burglars test the doors to make sure they haven’t been double locked, and then put their hand through the letter box and open the door from the inside.

“We didn’t hear anything at all. I had only been out of hospital three days and I was supposed to be resting - this was the last thing I needed.

“We can’t afford to replace the things stolen.

“At night, we get worried about every noise - is it just the cat or is someone trying to break in?

“We double lock the door even during the day when we are in now as we are really scared.”

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