When burglars forced their way into a property in a village on the outskirts of Norwich on October 22, there might not have been anyone in, but their actions have affected many lives.

Fortunately, neither Brian Davidson, a 62-year-old father-of-four and grandfather-of-one, nor his wife Charlotte were in that night, but the couple and their family have been forced to pick up the pieces after becoming victims of the crime.

Mr Davidson, who served for almost 40 years in the Royal Irish Regiment, said: 'I was away for the night and the police discovered that my house had been burgled and rang me up.

'They just told me what had happened. I came back and then, before going into the house, I saw the police constable who turned up. We went into the house and he did his initial investigation.'

Mr Davidson said being a victim of burglary has made him feel angry more than anything else.

He said: 'When I was told, my initial reaction was extreme annoyance and then concern that certain items had been taken.

'I just feel extreme annoyance about it. It was a last-minute decision to go away for the night.'

Although the burglary has left a bad taste in Mr Davidson's mouth, he said the police had helped him and his family cope with their ordeal.

He said: 'The police have been very good. I intend to write to the chief constable to thank him.

'The forensic officer and the police constable who was on duty at the time were both really sympathetic and I've only got praise for them.'

Mr Davidson, who said the health and safety of his family were the most important things in light of the burglary, has always been security conscious, but will do what he can to prevent himself from becoming a victim again and has urged others to do the same.

He said: 'Just be aware and look at the simple measures that you can take in order to deter a potential burglar. If one gets worried about it or worried about being burgled, the burglars are winning aren't they?

'Just take the simple precautionary measures.'

Two men were arrested in connection with the burglary and have been charged with conspiracy to burgle. They are due to appear at Norwich Crown Court on November 10.

The Evening News is running its Beat the Burglar campaign all week, offering readers information about how they can try to best protect themselves against becoming a victim and highlighting how burglaries are investigated and brought before the courts.

Tomorrow: A crime prevention officer lets you know how to protect your home from burglars.