Bizarre moment bungling burglar almost falls through workshop roof sending debris crashing down onto couple making facemasks for NHS workers

• James McConville and girlfriend were working late when the roof began to fall in 
• Debris just missed Mr McConville partner's head and she was left badly shaken
• Mr McConville has used a 3D printer to make hundreds of free PPE masks 
• CCTV captured the burglar running from the scene seconds after the incident 

A burglar who tried to break into a workshop nearly fell on top of a couple who were working around-the-clock to provide NHS workers with Personal Protective Equipment.

James McConville and his girlfriend were working late in the workshop in Aintree, when the roof began to fall in.

Mr McConville, who was in the kitchen at the time making drinks, ran into the workshop and saw a hooded man staring down at him through the hole.

The debris just missed his partner's head and the incident left her badly shaken. CCTV footage captured the extraordinary moment, and showed James consoling his girlfriend who was visibly upset after the drama, which could have left them both seriously injured.

CCTV footage also captured a man running from the scene seconds after the incident at around 10.12pm on May 9.

Mr McConville, who has used a 3D printer to make hundreds of PPE masks for front line workers during the coronavirus crisis, was annoyed that the incident left his workshop covered in asbestos and interrupted his efforts to provide workers with free face masks.

He said: 'It's hard to keep faith when things like this happen, especially when you've spent every waking hour of the past six weeks and thousands of pounds of your own money to provide PPE to our NHS and essential workers then something like this happens and crushes your spirits. Some karma right.'

He said that production had to stop while he repaired the damage and made the building safe.

He added: 'I looked up and saw a hooded person leaning over the hole, he looked me dead in the eye before running off over the roof scared. 

'I didn't know how many of them there were at the time so I didn't want to open the shutters and give chase.

'Luckily, I was in the workshop at the time to scare him off and no one was hurt, Kathryn was using my laptop and pieces of the roof fell onto it just barely missing her head.

'It could have been a lot worse, but thankfully no one was hurt and nothing was taken. I'm just angry that it happened in front of Kathryn as it obviously shocked and terrified her.'

James started making the masks on March 28 to help provide NHS staff and other frontline workers with the PPE they needed.

Since the break-in, he has arranged for the roof to be fixed, disposed of the asbestos properly, worked on 'making the premises secure' and installed an additional six CCTV cameras. 

His first post on Facebook received thousands of shares he was soon inundated with messages from workers in need of masks.

James wrote: 'Hopefully none of you have had the misfortune to experience an attempted break-in like that, all I can tell you is that witnessing the roof of your building falling in, to look up and see the faces of hooded men scaring in at you is something you'll never forget. 

'I'm not going to lie, it's absolutely terrifying at first, you feel your heart sink deep into your chest and your body feels lifeless but that fear only lasts for a split second and somehow you're able to take action without thinking, like going into survival mode almost. 

'I just wish I'd have known the information I know now and I could have caught him.' 

He added: 'Anyway, I'm glad to say I'm now back making PPE and can start to provide face shields and ear savers to essential workers again! 

'I've still got 612 people on the waiting list and thousands of face shields to make, what most annoys me is that in the time I've had to stop production to deal with the break-in - I could have made 5,000 face shields and 1,500 ear savers which would all have been put to use right now if it never happened.

'Things like this really take the wind out of your sails and I started to think why bother. 

'Only yesterday I had a request asking to make smaller face shields for children in hospital with chronic illnesses and sent pictures of the amazing nurses at Aintree hospital using the PPE I had provided them as a thank you. 

'This reminded me of why I'm doing all this work and who they're being used by. So to hell with attempted break-in's and fraudulent charity campaigns.

'I'm making PPE to help protect our NHS, essential workers and the vulnerable members of our community.'

James has since used a collection of printers to make hundreds of masks.

He has spent thousands of pounds of his own money on the venture, which has supplied staff at the region's biggest hospitals with PPE.

Anyone with information about the attempted break-in at the workshop should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.