A father said he feared for his life after a man burst into his home swinging a golf club in what is thought to be a case of mistaken identity.

Terry Flynn has spoken exclusively to The Argus about the terrifying ordeal in his own home after he was threatened with a golf club by a bungling attacker.

The intruder shouted at Mr Flynn to ‘tell him the code’ before threatening to kill him.

The father-of-one was watching TV show Shameless at 10.50pm last Tuesday in his home in Stephens Road, Hollingdean, when he heard two gentle taps on his door.

Moments later his door was kicked in by a young Asian man swinging a golf club and shouting at Mr Flynn.

The 41-year-old reacted quickly, throwing himself at the intruder, shoving his head into the man’s chest and pushing him against his lounge wall.

The intruder then attempted to swing the golf club but was restricted by a small hallway and Mr Flynn pushed him out of his home and forced the front door shut.

Mr Flynn pretended he was calling the police even though his phone was feet away in the lounge while the intruder continued to threaten him from the other side of the door.

The intruder then ran away from the house into a waiting car, which sped off.

Fortunately Mr Flynn’s 14- year-old son, who lives with him part of the time, was with his mother at the time of the attack.

Mr Flynn said: “I have lived here for four years and never had any confrontation so it must have been a wrong address.

“I was shocked and angry, I was thinking ‘how dare you come into my home’.

“I sent him flying against the wall and thought ‘there’s not much to him’ so I felt more confident then.

“If he had been able to hit me with the golf club God knows what damage he might have done.

“If he had gone to the house on the other side of my block where two old ladies live I don’t know what would have happened to them.”

Sussex Police is appealing for witnesses. Anyone with information should call 101 quoting serial 1522 of 26/3.