A Bradford mum has spent three sleepless days and nights praying for her son after an attempted murder attack left him fighting for his life.

Pat Matthews, 45, from Low Moor, rushed to her son's bedside after police rang her saying he'd been repeatedly stabbed while walking home from a pub in Derby.

Lee, 19, who moved to the area three months ago to work as a barman, was rushed to the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary where he was put on a life support machine after two life-saving operations.

Police have launched an attempted murder inquiry following the attack which they believe was carried out by a white male aged 18 to 25 wielding a 'large blade'.

Mrs Matthews said: "There was a real chance of losing my son. That was always in my mind. My daughter Adele and I have been praying for him to open his eyes and be with us again.

"But we haven't been stopping by his bedside, because I just can't bear to see my child hooked up to machine beeping and breathing for him.

"We wait outside and just keep popping in to make sure he's comfortable. I don't think we're out of the woods totally, but he's on the mend. I just don't want any other parent to go through what I have. It was a terrible nightmare."

She added: "Lee is such a quiet boy and has never been involved in any trouble. I just can't understand why this has happened."

Lee has undergone life saving surgery and was today improving in the intensive care unit at Derby Royal Infirmary.

Graham Benson landlord of the George pub, Low Moor, said: "They are a really nice family. Lee is a lovely lad. He wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone.

"Everyone in the community is shocked by this and our thoughts are with the Matthews family."

DCI Fran Muldoon, the officer in charge, said he hadn't been able to interview Lee properly because of his condition and had only managed to get a garbled account of what happened. There seemed to be no motive for the attack.

He said: "It would appear that after Lee had walked a work colleague home he became aware that someone was behind him. Then he felt a sharp pain enter his right arm.

"He ran off and was chased by his assailant who eventually caught up with him and stabbed him several times about the body."

He said Lee then fell to the ground and started to drift in and out of consciousness. A passing taxi driver, who heard Lee's cries for help, stopped and raised the alarm.

He added the teenager was "very lucky to be alive with the internal injuries that he's got".

DCI Muldoon said he would try to formally interview Lee tonight or tomorrow morning to try and glean some more information.

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