Detectives hunting the knifeman who stabbed a Bingley dad-of-two through the throat at Christmas have new lines of inquiry – thanks to publicity in the Telegraph & Argus.

But DNA found at the scene has so far not prompted any arrests and a number of the victim’s neighbours have yet to be shown an e-fit of the well-spoken suspect – even though the image was compiled three weeks ago.

Good Samaritan Philip Hey had an eight-inch blade plunged through his neck by a mystery attacker who called at his home in Wagon Lane, then won his trust with a bogus story asking for help.

Mr Hey bravely told every detail of the horrific assault, which left him clinging to life, desperately clutching his throat to stem the bloodflow.

“The surgeons said they couldn’t believe I’d made it. The blade passed 2mm from my jugular and bypassed my windpipe. He obviously wanted to kill me,” said Mr Hey, 53.

Police released an e-fit of the knife-wielding stranger wanted in connection with the random stabbing on December 15 last year.

“He had dark, piercing eyes and very distinctive wavy hair cut straight across at the front and just over the ears. I keep forcing myself to remember his face,” said Mr Hey, a production manager with Purification Products Ltd of Shipley.

Following his first appeal for help tracking his attacker, it is known the police received information from T&A readers.

However, many of Mr Hey’s close neighbours said yesterday they had still not seen the e-fit of the knifeman.

“The police came round initially to look for a weapon in our garden, but they haven’t been back since,” said one Wagon Lane resident, who asked not to be named.

Another woman said she had only seen the e-fit in the newspaper.

“There was a burglary in one of the houses at the same end of the road just the other day and they came around about that, but I’ve not been shown an e-fit to do with the stabbing,” she said.

Victim Mr Hey said yesterday: “I would just like to repeat the earlier appeal to anyone who is seeing the e-fit for the first time to contact the police with any information.”

Detective Chief Inspector Jon Morgan, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, is leading the investigation.

He said: “Inquiries are ongoing in the local area as to possible witnesses.”

* The suspect is described as white, about 20-years-old, six feet tall, of thin build and wearing a distinctive, diamond-patterned woollen jumper.

Any information should be passed to police on the non-emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.