A WOMAN slashed a man's throat with a knife outside a drop-in cafe.

Brian Fleming, 47, said he felt lucky to be alive and thanked former nurse Norma Dower who tried to stem the rush of blood until paramedics arrived.

Police said a woman was arrested shortly afterwards in Colne town centre, and had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Officers believe that had the cut been a touch deeper Mr Fleming would have died.

The attack happened as Mr Fleming was sitting outside the Open Door drop-in centre and cafe, Great George Street, Colne with Mrs Dower, 68.

Mr Fleming, who is homeless and had 15-stitches in the wound, said he knew the woman who had been sectioned.

He said: "It didn't seem to really hurt at the time and I didn't really realise what had gone on.

"If Norma hadn't been there I don't know what would have happened.

"I'm glad the woman has been arrested. She should be in hospital and I just hope now she gets the help she needs."

Mrs Dower, who has worked as a volunteer at the centre since it opened six years ago, said her nursing experience meant she could take action straight away.

She said the woman had been sleeping rough outside the centre, and had sat down inside shortly after staff arrived that morning, before the cafe had officially opened for the day.

Mrs Dower said: "I was talking to Brian and all of a sudden she just got up off her chair, came out and cut his throat.

"Blood was spurting everywhere and all over me and all I could do was bring him in and pack him with towels.

"He was talking to me all the time and because he couldn't see it. I don't think he realised how serious it was and what had happened.

"I was just shouting at Mick Goodwin, the chef, that his throat had been cut and to call an ambulance.

"It was a massive shock. You don't expect that first thing in the morning.

"I'm just glad Brian's all right and she's going to get the help she needs."

Centre manager Dawn Lange said this was the first time an incident like this had happened at the centre, which provides low-price meals, counselling and advice for homeless and vulnerable people.

She said: "In a way, it's a good job it happened here, where we could get Brian the help straight away. He could have bled to death if there had been no-one about.

"Thankfully it was early and we didn't have any other customers in, although obviously it was quite frightening for the people who were there.

"I have worked here three years and both Brian and the woman come in quite a lot.

"You get to know the people and how to handle them, and we have never had anything like this before. It's a completely one-off incident."

Sergeant John Fryer, of Colne police, said officers were called to the scene by paramedics.

He said: "She was deemed unfit to be interviewed and psychiatric reports have come back to recommend that she stays in hospital.

"It really was a potantially life-threatening incident.

"If the craft knife had gone just a little bit deeper it would have hit the jugular it could quite easily have led to his death.

"It's very fortunate that it didn't but this was an extremely nasty job."