LONDON (AFP) – A Manchester householder, his son and his son's girlfriend have reportedly been arrested after a suspected burglar was stabbed to death while trying to break into the man's home.

The intruder was attempting to get into a house on Ethel Avenue in Salford, Greater Manchester, just before midnight on Wednesday when the householder is believed to have acted to defend his property.

The dead man, whom police have not named, is believed to have been carried away from the address by other members of a balaclava-clad gang as they fled.

Police have put up a 100-metre cordon around the terrace house, which backs on to open scrubland close to a council recycling centre in the Pendlebury area of Salford.

Locals said they understood intruders tried to break into the back door of the property, then police received a 999 call from a woman at the house.

A spokeswoman for the Greater Manchester force said: "Police are investigating after a man died in Salford.

"Just before midnight, police were called to an address on Ethel Avenue, Pendlebury, following reports of a burglary and a group of men carrying an injured man on to Hospital Road.

"On arrival at Hospital Road, police found a 26-year-old man with stab wounds.

"He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead."

The Manchester Evening News said the householder, his son and his son's girlfriend have all been arrested.

"It is believed four men forced their way into the house,and were confronted by the residents," the newspaper said.