A pensioner has been threatened by a gang of thieves before being robbed of tens of thousands of pounds hidden in a safe in East Ayrshire.

A group of four or five men entered into the 66-year-old man's house on Shields Road, Galston on Friday afternoon around 2pm.

One of the men threatened the pensioner while others stole a safe containing a five figure sum.

The men then made off in a silver coloured Lexus GS300 vehicle, which had a broken rear windscreen, heading towards the centre of Galston.

The men are described as a group of four of five, with one wearing a grey balaclava. One of the men is described as 5ft 10, of stock build with pale skin, stubble and short cropped blonde or red hair.

Detective Sergeant Ewan Bell, Kilmarnock Police Office, said: "Although the man was not physically injured, this robbery was a terrifying experience for him to have to go through and he has been left shaken.

"Nobody should be afraid in their own home and it is vital that we find the men responsible for this incredibly callous and forceful crime.

"Our officers are currently going through CCTV and making door to door enquiries, however we are appealing for the wider public who may have any information that can help us to get in touch.

"We believe that the man we have described may have been in the area in the days leading up to the robbery and that it was a pre-planned, targeted attack.

"Do you remember hearing or seeing anything in the area prior to the incident taking place, or did you see the vehicle described driving away from the area?

"We know the area was busy with people at the time, think back, you may have information that did not seem like anything at the time, but now you know a robbery took place, may now seem significant."