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'Thank God people don't mind their own business sometimes'

RESCUE: Gemma Rice and Grainne Rice were first on the scene. Above, Matthew Davey outside his home in Clough  PictureS: Justin Kernoghan/ Photopress. Above, Philip Walsh
RESCUE: Gemma Rice and Grainne Rice were first on the scene. Above, Matthew Davey outside his home in Clough PictureS: Justin Kernoghan/ Photopress. Above, Philip Walsh RESCUE: Gemma Rice and Grainne Rice were first on the scene. Above, Matthew Davey outside his home in Clough PictureS: Justin Kernoghan/ Photopress. Above, Philip Walsh

A CO Down publican has thanked two sisters who rescued his cleaner after burglars tied her up and set fire to his property.

Matthew Davey said "thank God that people still do things like that" after passers-by brought the woman to safety from the burning house in Clough.

The rescued woman, who is in her fifties, was cleaning the house on School Road, owned by Mr Davey, when thieves broke in at around 1pm on Monday.

The two masked men tied her up and stole an iPad and Mac Book computer before making off with a grey Peugeot 206, which was parked outside the house.

During the burglary, a fire was started in an upstairs room, which caused "significant damage" to the property.

She was rescued by Gemma and Grannie Rice, who happened to be passing the house and untied her and helped her to safety. She was yesterday believed to still be in a highly distressed state.

"We jumped out of the car, Grainne rang the fire brigade and I ran into the house to see if Matthew was in, because I would be friendly with him, and I just shouted 'Matthew, Matthew' - and a woman answered up the stairs," Gemma told UTV.

A burnt out car at The Old Mill, near Castlewellan. Picture by Justin Kernoghan/ Photopress
A burnt out car at The Old Mill, near Castlewellan. Picture by Justin Kernoghan/ Photopress A burnt out car at The Old Mill, near Castlewellan. Picture by Justin Kernoghan/ Photopress

"I ran up to her and found her on the ground tied up.

"I got her up and out and Grainne ran into the kitchen and got scissors and cut her loose and got her out of the house. It was mental."

Sister Grainne said it was a "really surreal" experience and said the rescued woman had been left badly shaken by the two-hour ordeal.

"It was horrific and we’re just glad that Bernie is ok," she said.

"She was in shock, just in total disbelief. She was white as a ghost, god love her."

Mr Davey, who owns Maghera Inn, was at the house yesterday and said he was grateful to the two women for their help.

"Thank God that people still do things like that, and not mind their own business sometimes," he said.

"There is significant damage to that room, there was extreme violence in the house, everything in it that I was able to see was smashed to pieces.

"It doesn’t make sense."

The Peugeot car was discovered burnt out at The Old Mill on Clarkill Road in nearby Castlewellan shortly after midnight on Tuesday.

Police and forensic experts at the scene this morning. Picture by Justin Kernoghan
Police and forensic experts at the scene this morning. Picture by Justin Kernoghan Police and forensic experts at the scene this morning. Picture by Justin Kernoghan

It is the second time Mr Davey has been targeted by robbers, with the flat above the pub robbed in 2013.

On that occasion, three masked assailants entered a flat in the area armed with shotguns, threatening two men in the property at the time, striking one in the face with a weapon and making off with cash.

Police in Castlewellan have appealed for witnesses who saw suspicious vehicles or people around School Road on Monday or the Peugeot car being driven between it and Clough to contact them.

Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk     20/2/2018.Mandatory Credit - Picture by Justin Kernoghan.Police and forensic experts at the scene this morning - A woman was tied up, robbed and a fire started during a break-in at a house in County Down. Police said that shortly after 13:00 on Monday, two masked men entered a house at School Road. The woman in her 50s was tied up by the intruders who made off with an iPad and a MacBook. A fire was started in an upstairs room, but two members of the public who were passing the house helped the woman to safety. The PSNI said it was unclear if the fire had been started deliberately. Police said the woman was not injured but was left shocked by her ordeal...
Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk 20/2/2018.Mandatory Credit - Picture by Justin Kernoghan.Police and forensic experts at the scene this morning - A woman was tied up, robbed and a fire started during a break-in at a house in County Down. Police sa Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk 20/2/2018.Mandatory Credit - Picture by Justin Kernoghan.Police and forensic experts at the scene this morning - A woman was tied up, robbed and a fire started during a break-in at a house in County Down. Police said that shortly after 13:00 on Monday, two masked men entered a house at School Road. The woman in her 50s was tied up by the intruders who made off with an iPad and a MacBook. A fire was started in an upstairs room, but two members of the public who were passing the house helped the woman to safety. The PSNI said it was unclear if the fire had been started deliberately. Police said the woman was not injured but was left shocked by her ordeal...
Matthew Davey outside his home which was robbed last night and the cleaner was tied up inside and left to perish Pic Philip Walsh.
Matthew Davey outside his home which was robbed last night and the cleaner was tied up inside and left to perish Pic Philip Walsh. Matthew Davey outside his home which was robbed last night and the cleaner was tied up inside and left to perish Pic Philip Walsh.