BUNGLING police have mistakenly swooped on the home of a Birmingham man in a mix-up over his address – more than 40 times.

Matty Jillard said police officers had been repeatedly coming to his home in Repton Road, Bordesley Green, when they really wanted to be in nearby Repton Grove.

Despite continued complaints to police, he said the problem had continued for 18 MONTHS, the last time two weeks ago.

Mr Jillard even had police call banging on the door of his terraced home TWICE on Christmas Day. Once at 3am in the morning and later that day at 5pm.

And each time, the 38-year-old casual worker has had to point them 100 yards further along the road to Repton Grove, where they really intended to be standing at.

Mr Jillard, who shares the house with girlfriend Claire, aged 42, said: “You’d think police would be able to tell the difference between a Road and a Grove, wouldn’t you?”

“It’s not nice to have police officers repeatedly outside your door at all hours. It’s all flashing lights, cars and riot vans. It’s not quietly done. It feels quite embarrassing.

“The neighbours that do know us understand the situation but there might be others who could think we are up to no good.”

He added: “When they came in the early hours of Christmas Day I managed to get downstairs before they woke anyone up. In the morning when I asked my four-year-old niece if she had heard Santa Claus arrive in the night she said she had also heard the police as well.

“I had to make up some story that they were fetching his reindeers.”