A gang of violent gatecrashers turned a party into a horror film nightmare as they tried to break their way into a Dartmouth home.

At one point up to 15 young men were outside the home, trying to force open both the back and front doors as the partygoers inside attempted to hold them back, angry mum Sheila Kerr revealed.

Her 21-year-old son Jacob ended up having to have hospital treatment after he was punched in the face and hit over the head in the attack on their home in Ford Valley, Dartmouth, late on Saturday night.

At one stage the gang were taking run ups to kick at the front door, kicking at a window and even trying to climb across the glass roofed area to get into a bedroom, said Mrs Kerr.

Her home was left with around £1,000 damage after the gang destroyed her garden fence, damaged the front door and cracked a brick doorpost pillar.

'Friends of my son said it was like one of those zombie horror films when they are trying to break into your house,' said Mrs Kerr. 'My son and his friends were behind the doors trying to keep them out and they were trying to force their way in. I'm calling it the siege of Ford Valley.

'Jacob is still in a state of shock over it and doesn't want to say anything. I'm just grateful that Jacob and his friends were all right.'

Police are investigating the incident after they were called to the home just after midnight by anxious neighbours.

Mr Kerr explained that her son Jacob, who works at the Dartmouth naval college, had invited a group of friends over while she stayed at a friend's home.

She said that he had even moved furniture, put any fragile items away and got in plastic cups, to ensure there was no damage.

But, she said, Jacob and his friends told her that at around 1am there was a knock on the door as some girls asked if they could join the party. When they refused around 15 young men turned up demanding to be let in.

Mrs Kerr, who did not find out about the attack until she arrived home the next day, said: 'All of a sudden Jacob was hit in the face and head.

'He and a friend got back inside the house.

'He and a few of his mates had to lean against the inside of the front door to stop them getting in.

'These other lads proceeded to run from the garages across the road into the front garden and kicked at the front door.

'There are kick marks above the letterbox. They began kicking at a porch window and then they went around the back of the house and tried to get in through the back door.

'One neighbour said he thought he saw someone trying to get across a glass roof to get into one of the bedroom windows.

'They pulled my garden fence down and that is in bits now.

'They smashed pots and they have cracked a thick, substantial brick gatepost.'

She said that Jacob had not recognised any of the youths but, from what they were shouting, they may have come from Brixham.

She said that Jacob had gone to Dartmouth hospital on Monday because he was still feeling dizzy from the blow to the head.

She said around four of her neighbours had called the police because of the noise from the youths.

'A neighbour one door away saw what as happening.

'They said it was frightening because they were just like wild animals,' she added.

A police spokesman said that young people had been ordered to disperse and that investigations into possible criminal damage offences were being investigated.