Two elderly women have been beaten and robbed in their Co Tyrone home in what police described as a "savage and barbaric" attack on defenceless pensioners.
The sisters aged 80 and 76 were attacked after a number of masked men forced their way into their home at Drumquin, near Omagh, shortly after mid night on Friday.
They were repeatedly beaten with batons as they lay in bed, and were threatened until they told the gang where their money was hidden. The gang severed the women's telephone line before leaving.
They were so terrified that they did not seek help until daylight on Saturday morning. The women suffered bruising to their heads, arms and legs.