TWO men were stabbed in a vicious knife attack in the early hours of Saturday morning in Leigh centre.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the attack which happened between 12.30am and 1am when three friends, a 25-year-old from Cheshire and two 27-year-old local men, were heading for the town centre to continue their night out.

Near the junction of Leigh Road and The Avenue they were approached by two men who shouted abuse at them and in the ensuing row a man produced a knife, pinned one of the 27-year-olds in a doorway and cut his throat.

Disarm offender

The victim's two friends tried to disarm the offender, who then stabbed a 25-year-old man from Cheshire in the leg.

The man with the knife was chased by the two 27-year-olds who caught him, and in the struggle the man with the throat injury was stabbed three more times in the shoulders and lower back.

Two of the victims were taken to Bolton Royal Infirmary and were discharged over the weekend. The third man escaped without injury.

Police said the victims did not see what happened to the other man who was shouting abuse at them, and they believed he was not involved in the attacks.

The man with the knife is described as white, in his early twenties, tall, lanky and was wearing a white or cream coat. The man who was with him at the beginning of the incident was also described as white and in his early twenties.

Detective Constable Cath Greer of Leigh CID said: "These men were on their way to the town centre on a night out when they became victims of a completely unprovoked attack by an armed man.

"One of the men suffered multiple stab wounds and is lucky to have been discharged from hospital so quickly. Both men who were taken to hospital will need repeated treatment in the future."

Anyone with information should contact Leigh CID on 0161 856 7254 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.