A 70-year-old British man says his trusty can of air freshener once again came in handy in warding off a would-be thief.

Arthur Whitehouse said he fended off a burglar last year by spraying air freshener in the perpetrator's eyes. A man wearing a ski mask knocked on his door recently and threatened him with a knife.

Whitehouse said the man promised not to hurt him if he unfastened the chain lock on the door to let him in, but the retiree instead grabbed his can of Wilkinson's Citrus Fresh from beside the door and sprayed the attempted intruder in the eyes.

Whitehouse told police he recognized the suspect and officers arrested a 21-year-old man shortly after the incident. "I'm thinking of putting up a sign in front of the house saying 'Beware of Air Freshener,'" Whitehouse said.

I had to change one of those automatic air fresheners for my my Mum and got a face full... that stuff's like nerve gas!

Mmm... pine fresh!

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