The following advice applies to all external facing doors - but back doors are particularly at risk if a burglar gains access to your home via a back garden.

If your back door needs replacing, consider fibreglass rather than timber because it is generally a stronger material.

Doorframes should also be made of a strong material like solid wood or metal.

You may be considering upgrading your locks rather than replacing the whole door. Police and insurance companies take advice from the MLA and recommend that you fit a lock that has the British Standard 3621 kite-mark.

A 3-lever lock is a common lock on a lot of older style doors - but it should only be used in low security situations. This type of lock does not have the physical strength to prevent against attack.

A five-lever lock is better, because it is manufactured from stronger materials and is a lot more difficult to force.

Glass in doors can be prone to attack but you can minimise the risk by fitting toughened laminated glass (two sheets of glass with a plastic sheet between them).