​A traumatised mum who fought off intruders with a pink toy car says she is still having flashbacks of the raid that saw her daughter threatened at knifepoint and son held in a headlock.

Four men demanding “money, gold and valuables” barged their way into Tina Foster's family home in Pearmain Walk, Canterbury, on Wednesday, August 8.

Ms Foster, 46, was upstairs decorating one of her daughter’s bedrooms when she heard the commotion.

Her 19-year-old son, Mason Footman, and daughter, Lara Footman, 17, were confronted by two of the men as they were cooking lasagne.

“One of them put my son in a headlock and a 6ft 4ins fellow grabbed a knife from the worktop and pushed my daughter to the ground,” said the mum of six.

“He was saying he was going to stab her. I heard a load shouting from upstairs. As I was walking down the stairs, I saw two other males in my hallway.

“I picked up my daughter’s toy car and hit one of them over the head with it and the two of them ran back out the door. I don’t know what made me do it.”

Ms Foster tried to hold the door closed to prevent them from returning, but they tried to force their way back in.

“They were kicking and punching it trying to get back in,” Ms Foster continued.

“I hadn’t realised there were two more in my kitchen. But they soon pushed past me and they all ran up the road.

“My son managed to get out of the headlock and I think I must have disturbed them when I came down the stairs. I reckon it would have been a lot worse if I wasn’t there.”

Ms Foster immediately called the police after the 15-minute ordeal. She says she and her daughter were both crying afterwards, while her son was in shock.

Her eight-year-old daughter was in the living room at the time, but did not see what happened.

While the intruders left the house empty-handed, the frightening ordeal continues to haunt the family.

The following day, Ms Foster bought CCTV cameras as she fears the group might come back.

“That’s the only way I’ll feel safe in my own home with my children,” she added. “It was really scary.

“My children are still having flashbacks. My daughter is scared and doesn’t want to be in the house on her own now.

“I’m still in shock; I keep thinking about it. We’ve lived here for seven years and have never experienced anything like this.”

The men were seen driving off towards Russet Road in a green metallic 4x4.

One of them was tall with brown hair and was wearing a white t-shirt. Another was of medium height and large build, and wearing black round glasses.

The third was 5ft 5, with ginger hair and wearing a red t-shirt which he used to cover his mouth.

“I’m still in shock; I keep thinking about it. We’ve lived here for seven years and have never experienced anything like this" - Tina Foster

The family were unable to describe the fourth man.

Before the men entered, Ms Foster had been keeping her front door propped open with a stairgate to allow a draught to run through her house.

“I never normally have my door unlocked for anything,” Ms Foster added. “It was awful to be in that situation. I don’t know why we were targeted.”

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 01843 222289, quoting ZY/046174/18.