Police apologise over house raid

POLICE apologised last night over holding a pregnant mother and her three children prisoner in their own home - after raiding the wrong house.

Kim Ballard and her family cowered in fear as officers smashed their way in with axes.

Six officers burst into the living room where Mrs Ballard was watching television with her son Lee, seven, and daughter Victoria, five, and forced them all to stand against a wall with their hands on their heads. They then ran upstairs, forced open the bathroom door and made 11-year-old Sarah climb out of the bath.

Mrs Ballard, 29, of Thornhill, Southampton, who was eight months pregnant, eventually persuaded them to call their station - and they realised they had raided the wrong house.

Last night she said her children were still 'petrified' after last Friday's invasion. 'I don't think they will ever be able to trust the police after what has happened,' she added.

'They didn't say what they were looking for or why they were there. It was terrifying.'

Chief Inspector Danny Daniels, of Bitterne police, said he bitterly regretted the incident. 'The officers were taking part in a drugs raid and quite simply got the wrong address.'