Elderly people could be targeted by burglars because they are less likely to fight back, said a pensioner who confronted armed raiders at his York home.

Haulage boss Roy Handley, 71, said new guidelines that reinforce the right of householders to fight back, perhaps even with a knife or gun, may encourage "cowardly" criminals to go for vulnerable people.

He was speaking after Government legal chiefs announced that police would only prosecute residents who attack intruders in "extreme circumstances".

Mr Handley, who was confronted by three masked gunmen at his Elvington farm two years ago, said: "I'm pleased that they have finally come to their senses. Now I know I could have a go.

"People will now be able to take a little bit of risk to defend themselves. It will probably make burglars think twice, but it might encourage them to target older people who can't defend themselves.

"Burglars are cowards. They won't go for anyone who will have a go back. We will never get over what happened to us. It's there all the time. It's like toothache."

During the raid in July 2003, Mr Handley chased off the gunmen with an empty shotgun, but his son Andrew was shot in the leg and badly wounded.

He has since spoken of his sympathy for Norfolk farmer Tony Martin, who was jailed after he shot and killed a teenage burglar during a raid on his remote home.

New Government advice reassures householders that they will not be prosecuted if they acted "honestly and instinctively" against intruders in the heat of the moment.

Mark Botham, chairman of North Yorkshire Police Federation, said this was the same advice he was giving out "as a rural beat officer many years ago".

He said: "It's interesting that they have packaged it as new guidance, when it is in fact a straight lift from the laws that are already in place.

"But this is the dilemma that police officers face every day of the week, when they decide to use force or not in accordance with their training."

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ken Macdonald QC, emphasised that the law is on the side of householders.

He said: "We aim to reassure them that if they act honestly and instinctively, in the heat of the moment, this will be the strongest evidence that they have acted lawfully and in self-defence.

"Prosecutions of householders for tackling intruders are extremely rare, only a very few in the past 15 years.

"Even where householders have badly injured, or even killed burglars, the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) has declined to prosecute unless they have used wholly excessive force."

Chris Fox, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "We want everyone to clearly understand that they can use force to protect themselves, or others. The force used should be reasonable force."

Updated: 10:09 Wednesday, February 02, 2005