SADISTIC robbers tortured a pensioner with a hot iron before threatening his partner's three-year-old granddaughter with boiling water.

The man, 69, and his partner, 66, who have asked not to be named, had been fast asleep in their home, in Woodman Lane, Sewardstonebury, when they were awoken by two masked men who had broken into their house.

The man said: “I woke up and saw these two people, they looked like caricatures, in my room. I saw them coming towards me. They overpowered me, pushed me back on the bed got these plastic straps and tied my hands behind my back. They put a pillow case over my head and then asked 'Where's the safe?'.

“I said I hadn't got a safe, then they said 'Where do you keep the money?'. I said: 'There is no money, we don't keep any. What you see is what you've got. It's all on show.”

Frustrated at their lack of success the robbers brought up an iron from downstairs and tied it to the man's back.

His partner said: “He used my dressing gown tie and tied it tight on to his body so it was just burning away. It was horrendous. I can't tell you how bad it was. He didn't want to scream because he didn't want to frighten my grandchild.”

As the man continued to refuse to cooperate the twisted robbers turned their attention to his partner's three-year-old granddaughter, who had been staying with the couple for the weekend.

The woman said: “Because they weren't getting enough stuff they brought the kettle up and boiled it and one of them said: 'Right I'm going to burn the baby. I'll shut the door so you don't hear her scream.'

“I just went to pieces. I was crying and crying. Then the other one said 'No leave the baby alone'.

“One of them was all over the place, he was on drugs or something. He took a massive knife from downstairs and put it on the Ottoman. If he hadn't have got anything that would have been it. If he hadn't have got anything I can't comprehend what he would have done.”

The robbers eventually left with a haul of jewellery, including rings, necklaces, cufflinks and watches.

Before they fled, they handcuffed the traumatised couple to the radiator telling them they would leave the key for the granddaughter to free them.

After much coaxing the child eventually managed to hand the couple the key and they were able to free themselves before calling police.

The man said he had no idea why his house had been targeted in such a manner but added: “They certainly knew their job to get in here. They were professionals.”

He suffered severe burns in the incident, will have to undergo a skin graft, and will be scarred for life.

His partner said: “They're sick in the head. They've got no feelings for anyone. The nurse said to him 'How could anyone do that to a human being?'

“The police said it was the worst case they'd heard of for a long time.”

The two men were of stocky build, and wore balaclavas, gloves and what looked like boiler suits.

Anyone with information on the incident, which took place yesterday (August 1) at around 4.45am should call detectives at Loughton on 0300 333 4444 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.