A SPLIT second’s blink saved the sight of a woman who was slashed across the face by a robber in her home.

Diane and Shaun Bradford, and their son Alex, were attacked in their home in Crabtree Road, Botley, Oxford, on Wednesday night by three thieves searching for cash.

Mr Bradford was pistol-whipped, while his wife, 42, was slashed across the eyelid as she grappled with one of the men armed with a knife.

Now home and recovering after plastic surgery, Mrs Bradford told the Oxford Mail how close she came to losing her sight.

She is partially sighted in her right eye and said she was lucky she blinked just as the knife hit her left eyelid.

Mrs Bradford said: “I came around the corner into the hallway and he stabbed me in the eye while I was grappling with him.

“I can’t remember much about it – it’s just a big blur and the knife came up.

“I can’t see out of my other eye very well so if the knife had gone in my eye I could not have worked or driven. Fortunately it was just the eyelid.”

She spent two nights in hospital while a surgeon repaired a muscle and stitched up the 1.5in gash.

Mrs Bradford said the family were still in shock and were trying to come to terms with what had happened.

At about 11pm there was a knock on the front door. Alex, 16, opened it, and was thrown to the floor with a knife at his throat. Builder Mr Bradford, 49, who had gone to bed, heard screams and rushed downstairs.

A gun was pressed to his temple and the robber ordered him to go to his safe, which had not been used for years.

Mrs Bradford managed to escape and raise the alarm.

On Saturday, she returned home to piles of cards and message and bunches of flowers.

She said: “I’m still so concerned about my son for what they have done to him and to all of us. The mental scars will be hard for him.

“We are all trying to be strong and just trying not to let it get to us. We are a strong family and we will be fine.

“My eye looks better than it did – my sister said it looks horrific, but I can see out of it.”

Mrs Bradford added: “My neighbours were absolutely fantastic. They came out and helped – they are real gems.”

The three men are still on the loose, and anyone with information should call the police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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