A TWICKENHAM advertising executive was held at gunpoint in his home and brutally attacked by thieves who tore his £10,000 watch from his wrist late one evening.

Alfredo Marcantonio, aged 54, answered the door of their Montpelier Row house at 10pm on Wednesday, January 16th, to a smartly dressed black man who said something about being a friend of his next door neighbour.

Mr Marcantonio opened the door a little to see what he wanted.

The man suddenly barged it wide open and pushed him aside and then grabbed his wife Vivien, aged 53, and hit her head against the wall.

Two more men rushed in, both wearing balaclavas and hooded jackets with one carrying a gun.

The man pointed the gun at Mr Marcantonio, who enraged, flew at the man without even thinking.

The man hit him on the face very hard with the butt of the gun and broke Mr Marcantonio's nose and he collapsed onto the floor.

His Cartier watch worth £10,000 was torn from his wrist as the handgun was held to his head.

They attacked his wife again by which time their 24-year-old son Leo heard the commotion and ran upstairs from his basement flat.

The robbers started to panic when they saw him and they ran off.

Police believe that Mr Marcantonio had been followed by the robbers all the way from his office in Soho on the night in question.

They said: "The victim's son heard screams and ran from the basement flat to the front door where he knocked as it was now closed. He was confronted by one of the suspects. All three then ran off. The victim suffered a broken nose and severe bruising to arm and chest.

"The first suspect is described as a light skinned black male, aged early 25-32, athletic build, with short cropped hair which may be bleached on top. Wearing an ivory coloured three quarter length anorak, black trousers, clean shaven.

"The second suspect is described as aged between 25-30 a darker skinned black male, stocky build, wearing a dark coloured waist length padded jacket with a hood over his head and wearing a dark scarf across his face.

"The third suspect is described as aged between 25-30, a black male, approximately 5ft 9ins, stocky build, wearing dark clothing.

"The Cartier watch with a white dial and rectangular face is very rare. The ID is 035441. It features in Christies' Important Watch' brochure. Anyone who has come in contact with such a watch is asked to contact DS Farrell at the Crime squad at Teddington on 8247 7032 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."