Two men posing as delivery drivers burst into a family home and tied up a couple with electrical cords for 40 minutes, before fleeing with cash and sentimental items.

After entering the house in Meadway, Seven Kings, the thugs cut the wires to the phone and television before tying up the husband and wife.

The victims’ son, 33, told the Recorder he fears his parents will never fully recover from their ordeal, in which the mother had her head smashed against the bathroom tiles.

He said: “It’s terrifying. To see my parent like that was awful.

“I can’t even put it into words, I arrived and my mother was crying and my dad was shaking.”

The men forced entry to the house just after 12.30pm on Thursday, after pretending they had a delivery for the family’s neighbours.

After knocking the couple, both in their 50s, to the floor, they tied them up, before demanding the father hand over cash.

The parents were taken around the house separately and forced to hand over sentimental items, including two iPhones containing photos, a gold bracelet and a distinctive gold Rado watch.

During the 40 minute ordeal, the men repeatedly demanded access to a safe, which the family do not have.

The burglars left and the brave father ran outside the house, where they have lived since 2008, to alert neighbours.

Police arrived at 1.12pm and paramedics provided medical treatment at the scene.

Fortunately neither of the victims suffered serious injuries.

A Meadway resident, living opposite, told the Recorder: “It was insane, I was just outside saying hello to the builders and there were three police cars and flashing lights and sirens everywhere.

“Lots of families live down this road, it really makes you scared.”

A gold coloured iPhone 6, green iPhone 5, gold bracelet, watch and about £200 cash was reported stolen during the incident.

The men are described as black, in their late twenties or early thirties, and were wearing tracksuits and hi-vis fluorescent vests.

No arrests have been made and inquiries continue.

Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at Redbridge borough on 101 or contact police via Twitter @MetCC.

You can also give information by Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you do not want to give your name.