Drama in pyjamas in Leeds in 1949...

Wearing pyjamas and slippers, Mr Sidney McIntyre, of Alleby Place, Leeds, chased a burglar into his house and the thief only escaped by diving head first through a glass window.

So runs the report of the incident in the Yorkshire Evening Post from 70 years ago this day.

But Mr McIntyre wasn’t put off by his quarry’s escape tactics and followed him back outside, chasing him around the side of his house until the villain crashed through a garden fence in the fog. The 27-year-old technical engineer was asleep at the house with his family when he heard noises downstairs.

Without thinking, he dashed downstairs in what he had on and gave chase.

He said at the time: “I heard a crash as he went through the window. He said the burglar had earlier entered his pantry and removed a number of bottles, placing them on the path outside, prior to going through the window. In the end, he got away with a cheque book, a pair of gloves and a box of matches.

In other news from January 29, 1949, Britain, Belgium and Holland formally recognised Israel, starting at 11am.

And finally, David Hartley, 73, from Wike, was badly injured following a fire at his home. The elderly man had apparently fallen asleep in front of the fire and his clothes caught fire. His son, also called David, 40, ran to his rescue, dragging his father outside and tearing off his burning clothes to save his life. He badly injured his hands during the incident. he was treated at hospital but allowed to go home after being diagnosed with minor injuries.

He said of the incident: “I heard my father coughing and went to see if he was all right. The house was full of smoke and I could see his clothes were alight.”