A MAN today spoke of the moment he thought he was going to die after he was attacked with a meat cleaver in a takeaway brawl.

Mark Perry was in Rino's Pizza House, Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, when a fight broke out between an unknown girl and his girlfriend Tracy Ashby.

The 28-year-old attempted to pull the pair apart when he felt a searing pain in the back of his head.

He stumbled out of the shop with his white shirt soaked red with blood. An ambulance took Mark to Blackburn Royal Infirmary where doctors applied six stitches and glue to seal the wound.

He initially released but after suffering permanent headaches, blurred vision, dizziness and numbness on one side of his face he re-admitted himself two days later.

Mark, of Havelock Street, is currently waiting for a CT scan on his brain and is "very worried" for his future health.

He said an enjoyable night out in Oswaldtwistle for a friend's 21st birthday party had ended in an assault early on Saturday which could have killed him.

Mark met Tracy outside Rino's takeaway at 1am and they agreed to get something to eat before heading home.

Mark said: "I don't remember what exactly hit me. I was told it was a chopping cleaver with a wooden handle. My white shirt was just completely red with my blood. I was in a lot of pain."

Mark said he cannot understand why someone has not been arrested over the attack.

He said: "I have given my statement and so have a lot of witnesses but nothing has been done."

Mark, a former lorry driver, is registered disabled after a bad road accident on the M62 in 1998 left him with permanent back pain.

Girlfriend Tracy said: "My fella could have been killed.

"He was just trying to split us up when a man came running up with a machete and whacked him.

"There was blood everywhere.

"Now he's got a big scar right across the back of his head.

"I have been on the phone to the police everyday but they said they cannot do anything until the officers who dealt with the incident are back on shift. It has been nearly a week now."

Mum Jane Perry, 47, of Harvey Street, said: "This is twice now my son has escaped death. I think someone is looking out for him."

A police spokesman said: "We are treating this incident very seriously. Mr Perry has been seen by police and forensic officers, who have taken statements and photographic evidence.

"Other witnesses have also been seen and have given statements.

"This obviously takes time but it is an important process and we have to be thorough.

"In these circumstances all evidence has to be taken into account before appropriate action is taken. Our enquiries are continuing."