by Paul Hooper

Battling pensioner Mavis Britcher paid a heavy price for her courage in confronting a burglar armed with a hammer.

Mavis grabbed an air rifle to confront the raider who had used a hammer to smash his way into her Saltwood home near Hythe.

Wearing a dressing gown the 73-year-old challenged burglar Malcolm Haben - and forced him to flee empty-handed.

But Canterbury Crown Court heard that as police raced to her aid, the brave Mrs Britcher collapsed with a suspected heart attack.

Prosecutor Denzil Pugh said the victim had in fact suffered a heart complaint, caused by a surge of adrenaline - which had turned her from “ a young 73-year-old into no longer a young 73-year-old”.

Haben, from Guildhall Street, Folkestone was jailed for five and a half years after admitting 53 burglaries.

Mr Pugh said that on April 26 Mr Britcher had gone out leaving his wife having a shower.

“She was upstairs in her dressing gown when she heard a crash from downstairs. Initially thinking it was her husband returning. She shouted down : What on earth is going on?

“It soon became apparent that it wasn’t her husband as the noise continued “

Mr Pugh added: “She showed stunning fortitude because she picked up her husband’s air rifle, which was next to bedroom, and went down to confront the intruder.

“Haben was breaking in through a window with a hammer. Mrs Britcher shouted at him and brandished the air rifle. He made off without a word, cycling away.

“But by that stage the excitement had become rather too much for her and she felt massive pain in her chest just after phoning the police and she fell to the ground thinking she was having a heart attack.”

In fact she had suffered Tako-Tsubo Syndrome, a condition brought on by a surge of adrenaline to the heart.

Mr Pugh added: “Unfortunately it is a chronic condition and the most upsetting thing from her point of view is that she regarded herself as a young 73-year-old and she is no longer a young 73-year-old.”

Haben also broke into Toad Hall in Castle Road, Saltwood near Hythe stealing £200 worth of jewellery - it was the second time the house had been raided.

On April 16 he burgled an isolated house in Crete Road East, Folkestone taking up to £7,000 worth of items.

After his arrest he admitted 50 more offences, some of them dating back 10 years, the court heard.

Haben claimed he had carried out the raids to feed his gambling habit.