New guidelines have been issued for householders who seek to defend their home against intruders.

Under the clarified rules, people may be prosecuted only if they set a trap to hurt or kill an intruder.

The use of weapons, such as bats, knifes or guns and almost any level of violence against a burglar could be acceptable in the right situation, the director of public prosecutions, Ken Macdonald, said.

He said: "The law is on the side of householders. Even where householders have badly injured or even killed burglars, the CPS has declined to prosecute unless they have used wholly excessive force."

Macdonald added: "My impression is that people were beginning to believe that we routinely prosecute householders who have protected themselves against burglars. That is completely untrue."