MARRIED at First Sight star David Pugh was left covered in blood after he fought off five machete burglars during a raid on his luxury home.

The sales director, who lives in Solihull, battled the thugs using his martial arts training after they smashed their way into his home at 3am.

He has now shared a photograph which shows him bloodied and injured after the shocking attack.

The 56-year-old, who has split from new wife Shareen after they wed on the show, told BirminghamLive the ordeal led to him wanting to always be prepared for the "absolute worst".

And it led to his decision to give Shareen a survival kit as a gift – which was much-discussed on social media when the episode aired on Channel 4.

David said: "Shareen has been very blessed in that she's never had any real disasters or calamities in her life.

"But that's not true for me. Experiences have taught me to always be prepared for the worst."

The dad-of-two confronted the burglars when they burst into his home in Catherine-de-Barnes in February 2018.

He used Krav Maga, a military self-defence system, to fight them off.

"I got woken up at three in the morning with the sound of broken glass and doors being kicked in," he said.

"It became an out-and-out battle in my house for about ten minutes. 

"My martial arts training just kicked in.

"I wasn't being brave. I was very lucky – there were golf clubs, machetes, table legs flying."

Eventually the thugs fled empty-handed.

David said: "Fundamentally that experience is now part of my background.

"If the absolute worst happens I want to always be ready.

"In that instance I installed lots of CCTV cameras and sensor lights to my house.

"I've reacted to things that have happened in my life in quite a positive way. I think making sure you are never caught off guard by any situation is a good thing."

David told Shareen his everyday survival kit contained items including "a CPR face shield" and "a pen that can smash glass if you need to get out of a train or are trapped in a car".

He also took a kit – containing massage oil, burning scents and a 30-strong pack of condoms – on their honeymoon.

"I was quite taken aback by Shareen having such an extreme reaction to my survival kit. Maybe I just didn't explain the bag well enough," he said.

"I could come across a little bit crazy. It is extreme but I've always been a prepper really."

Shareen, a mum-of-three from Llanelli in Wales, has told of how she was left in tears and too scared to leave the house after vicious trolls targeted her online.

The 48-year-old said she married David in the hopes they'd be together forever.

But she was hounded by social media users who called her an "embarrassing mum".

In an interview with Wales Online, she said: "After two days of crying I was actually feeling scared of leaving the house as I was concerned I would receive abuse while out running or shopping."

David said: "My wedding to Shareen was a fairytale. 

"I asked for somebody who was strong and she has strong opinions and knows her own mind.

"Shareen is a great lady. I  always judge people by looking at what their kids are like. Shareen's daughters are the loveliest girls you could hope to meet.

"I was really attracted to the fact she was a good mother.

"She's very spiritual whereas I'm more logical. We all have our little foibles. And opposites, can and do work really well."

Married At First Sight is available to stream on All 4.

It continues on Channel Four on Tuesdays at 9.15pm.

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