SHOCKING footage has been released of three masked men carrying out a daylight raid on a family home.

The CCTV footage, given to the Daily Echo by the homeowner who was burgled, shows the masked trio moving through the Alderholt house wielding crowbars.

An amount of cash was stolen by the men, who broke in through the back door of the home in Hillbury Road on Wednesday afternoon.

Homeowner Jon Lucas and his daughter had gone for a bike ride in Ringwood Forest when the burglary took place.

"There is no reason at all for them to come into the house with bars," said Jon. "The only reason you do that is to wallop someone isn't it?"

The family also believe their dog, Ted, was injured by the masked thugs.

Jon said: "He is a very energetic dog, but he just lay there the whole night, couldn't eat his food.

"When you touch him was yelping – they'd obviously given him a strike."

Jon, who initially wanted to get his hands on the burglars when he realised what had taken place, now thinks it was lucky their paths didn't cross.

"I came back and saw my workshop door had been forced open, he Jon "We'd been gone about an hour.

"Then I ran to the house. I was going to catch a burglar you see, that was my plan, but when I saw in the footage that they each had a crowbar I was glad they were not there.

"I wouldn't have stood a chance really."

When Jon walked through the house, parts of it had been ransacked by the burglars.

He said: "I went into the siting room area and it was completely trashed, upstairs it looked like the end of a jumble sale.

"It is the fact that as a bloke, you want to desperately be able to fix things.

"My partner is upset, my daughter is upset, the dog has been traumatised by it, it is horrible...and you can't fix it.

"Then you have all the aggravation of changing the locks. You don't know what they have taken, you don't feel like being in the house – I think people underestimate how it feels."

John said he fitted a CCTV system three moths ago after a man pulled up in a van and told him he'd just seen three men in balaclavas running from his property.

By releasing the footage and putting it online he hopes police will be able to trace the trio.

Despite the shock, a positive from the burglary has been the response from neighbours, the family says.

Jon said: "It is a really good community here in Alderholt and we have had hundreds of messages.

"We've had flowers, somebody else has made a cake.

"This is all appreciated."

Dorset Police have also released still images of the men in a bid to identify them.

Detective Sergeant Karen Penn, of Dorset Police’s priority crime team, said: “Officers have been carrying out a number of enquiries into this incident so far, including an examination of the scene and house-to-house visits.

“I am issuing CCTV images of three men I would like to try and identify as part of my enquiries.

"While I appreciate they have their faces covered, I am hoping someone may recognise them from their build and clothing.

"If anyone has any information about who they are, please get in touch.

“I am also keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the Hillbury Road area around the relevant time.”

The burglary took place at the house in Hillbury Road, Alderholt, between 2-3.30pm on Wednesday, March 3.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55210035313.

Alternatively, to stay anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or call Freephone 0800 555 111.