CCTV footage has been released in a bid to track down armed robbers who caused a wealthy Prestwich businessman to fear for his life in a frenzied and savage knife attack.

Despite being naked, Eddie Nevins bravely fought back when the two masked men burst through the bedroom door at his lakeside bungalow in Simister.

The father-of-three suffered a stab wound to the hand and was viciously beaten during the terrifying raid which only ended when he managed to flee to the island in the middle of an ornamental lake.

Mr Nevins was covered in blood and close to collapse from shock and exhaustion when he appeared on the doorstep of a neighbour’s house begging for help.

The attack happened in May and was captured on CCTV which has now been released by detectives. Despite Mr Nevins offering a £20,000 reward to bring the culprits to justice, the potential killers remain at large.

Mr Nevins, of Nutt Lane, said: “These men have destroyed my life. If I had not fought back then I would have been killed. They were not put off when I confronted them. They were savage and determined. I was petrified.”

The property developer’s wife, Lorraine, was away on business in Cyprus and Mr Nevins had just gone to bed when the nightmare began.

He said: “I’d just settled down for the night, a short time after midnight, when the next thing I knew my bedroom door was kicked in by two masked men. One was armed with a piece of wood and the other had a knife.

They came screaming in with a knife and said, ‘Where’s your cash and your safe?’ I heard one say, ‘Just stab him, just stab him’. They had already hit me so I knew they were serious. I kept telling them that there wasn’t a safe but they wouldn’t back down.

“I knew if I didn’t fight back they would grab me and torture me and then kill me. I picked up a bat and hit one of the lads across the side of the head and then ran through the house. I managed to get through the double doors and on to the patio area.”

The CCTV footage clearly shows the man with the knife slashing at Mr Nevins arms as he stumbles around the patio in a desperate bid to escape.

The 54-year-old continued: “There is a small lake next to the patio with a small island in the middle of it. I managed to swim to the island. The two lads were shouting ‘We are going to get you. We are going to get you.’ I was screaming, ‘For God’s sake, someone help me!

“I yelled that everything was being recorded on CCTV. That’s when they went back into the house and took the CD out. Fortunately, we had a back-up drive.”

Mr Nevins was taken to hospital where he was treated for a gash to his head and a small wound to his hand. He said the attack has left him not just with physical scars but emotional ones too and he has taken the heartbreaking decision to quit his dream home.

“My wife and I are petrified,” he said: “Our home was supposed to be somewhere to relax, somewhere to enjoy. Not any more. We don’t feel safe and we are going to sell up and move somewhere not as isolated.

“These men have changed our lives forever. They are the lowest of the of low. They deserve to rot in prison.”

Nothing was stolen during the robbery apart from £6 in an ash-tray.

The release of the CCTV footage comes as detectives in Bury launch a fresh appeal for information about the offenders. The film shows them crossing a field in darkness to reach Mr Nevins’ house.

Detective Constable Dave Potter from the robbery unit at Bury said: “These men have forced their way into a private home and assaulted a completely innocent man. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home and I am determined to catch whoever is responsible.

“I would appeal to people who may be able to identify the men in the CCTV to come forward and help us with our investigation.

“The fact the victim has offered a substantial reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible shows the extent to which this incident has affected him and I would urge anyone with information to contact us.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call the robbery unit on (0161) 856 8179 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.