To not realise this prank would go very wrong (and scary)

[climbingquickly]

Name-changed for obvious reasons!

At weekend DP and I had friends to stay, one eve he dropped me and female friend at pub (about 2 miles away) he stayed home chatting to her OH. Friend and I got tipsy. Decided to walk home after an hour to scare the guys! We live in rural area with no other houses nearby. They were expecting us to call them when we wanted picking up from pub so weren't expecting us for hours. We crept into back garden (it was around midnight) and saw them watching TV in living room. We split up, my friend crept around side of house to living room window I stayed out of sight near kitchen window I banged on glass using a bamboo cane. DP rushed to window but I was hidden by bushes, he looked really freaked out, my friend then banged on living room window. To cut a long story short they both ran outside holding ice-axes (!) so we jumped out but they didn't think it was funny.
Turned out they had seen a man in back garden earlier, peering in through window! They went out but he climbed over fence and ran away, so when they heard us banging they nearly called police. DP is going away on work trip tomorrow and Im scared there's a prowler lurking around! Can't stay at a friend's as I run my business from home. AIBU to be really freaked out by this?

That's amazing! DH & I had a scare wars going on when we moved into our new house in the middle of nowhere. I love a good fright!

I wish they were just trying to get us back... that was our initial thought too though we quickly realised they were really scared (and ready to attack!) Unfortunately the man at the window was real. DP's worried about going away now especially as our French windows have a dodgy lock (you lock it with a key from inside but can be forced open from inside without the key by pressing catch down hard. DP says you can't force it from outside but Im freaking out!! Landlord is sending someone to look at it but not till end of week. Wish we had a dog!

I just can't figure out why the man was in our back garden in first place, unless he was checking to see if house was empty so he could break-in, but he could have seen that from way off as they had curtains open and TV was on. DP thinks he might have been a tramp or drunk local person who was lost, though we have a high fence (with padlocked gate) that he must have climbed over to get in!

Any ideas how to be safer and not freak out over this??

er, that's a pretty mean prank .

I think they're playing a prank on ye to justify their axe weilding behaviour!

Sorry op, but the first few replies have me pmsl!!! So funny! Hopefully the two axe wielding men in the house scared the guy away and he won't return.

What the fuck is an ice axe?

Presumably if you have two ice picks handy you'd be ok against any window peeper whilst he's away! Suddenly flick a light on and stand with your ice picks in either hand staring at the window peeper's looking in through!

My mother used to do this when we were watching crime watch. Say she was making a cup of tea then creep outside and bang on the window. She would also hide behind doors in darkened rooms then and jump out. Kept us on our toes!

Can you get a burglar alarm system fitted before your DP leaves? We have one with wireless sensors on every door and window, so it will trigger if anyone tries to get in. You might feel safer with a sensor on the French windows!

Leave lots of lights on too, to make it look like there are lots of people in different rooms, and check all windows are locked and curtains closed before it gets dark.

Do you have an extra lock on bedroom door? When DH is away I lock bedroom door at night, I know in reality a bolt won't help much if someone is determined to break in but it makes me feel better and sleep better!

Even better, get a couple of friends to stay with you.

Like you said it's possible the man was a tramp looking for somewhere sheltered to sleep. Or even a local lad who climbed fence for a dare. When DH was a teenager (in a rural village) he and his mates used to play a game where they sneaked through people's gardens at night and peeped in windows! Now and then they'd get spotted and have to leg it! I'm sure they must have frightened many people but to them it was just a harmless game.