A DAD is hoping to find the crooks who tried to break into his house as he put his children to bed.

The dad, who does not wish to be named following the incident, was putting his two children to bed on Friday night, at about 8pm.

As he was doing so he heard two loud bangs, but thought it was the neighbours and carried on.

However when he went downstairs to make his dinner he heard laughing coming from his garden in Mill Road, Colchester.

He said: "The laughing sounded really close, I flicked on the outside light and whoever it was ran away.

"It sounded like two teenage lads. As I put the garden light on they pulled the wire out, I didn't see what they looked like."

He ran upstairs to the bedroom to look out of the window but still could not see anything.

He called the police who came to inspect the house, and this is when he realised what damage had been caused.

The dad said: "My back patio door looks as if they tried to hammer a screwdriver in, to make way for a crowbar.

"They have damaged the whole door which will need replacing.

"They also smashed the window to my Citroen, it looks as if they used a spiked object. They stopped so I assume they got disturbed.

"They didn't manage to take anything, but if they had been given a couple more minutes I think they would have got inside the house.

"It was just sheer luck. I had all the lights on in the house so it's a bit strange.

"I also heard someone bang on the window when I was upstairs, I don't know if they were using that as a tactic to see if I would open the door."

He said neighbours also heard the laughing outside that night.

Anyone with CCTV footage in the area, or saw any suspicious behaviour, should call police on 101.