A mum of two says she and her children no longer feel safe in their house after it was broken into last week and threatening letters were left for her to find.

Victoria Clarke, of Drakes Drive in Stevenage, went downstairs last Tuesday morning to find that her house had been trashed and her mobile phone stolen.

Among the chaos she found a string of threatening letters made up of letters cut out of newspaper and magazines and a message written on the mirror in red lipstick.

The 24-year-old says that her children – who are four and five years old – are now too scared to sleep in the home they have lived in for four years.

She said: “It is horrible to think that someone has been in my house. They got in using a screwdriver while we were all sleeping.

“The police were quick to respond and we had forensics around in the afternoon. The borough council came and changed the locks on the same day but it doesn’t make it any better.

“I have to get on with my life, I know it is a safe place to be and that we can get back on track but the kids don’t know that.

“We didn’t stay there the night after it happened, but we went home the next day and the children didn’t want to go back.”

Victoria told the Comet that she initially went downstairs at around 2am to let the cat out, but wasn’t sure if she locked the door or not before going back to bed.

Then at around 7am, she went down again with her two children to find the door was open and the house trashed.

Police have confirmed that an investigation is under way.

Anyone who can provide information can call the non-emergency number on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.