A MAN who suffered stab wounds has undergone emergency heart surgery after his condition worsened.
Stephen Ainsworth has been transferred to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, where he underwent surgery after it emerged the knife had grazed his heart and his liver.
Stephen was transferred to the heart-specialist hospital on Tuesday from Blackburn Royal Infirmary where he and friend Carl Parkinson were admitted on Saturday night.
The pair were injured in an incident in the Livesey area of Blackburn.
Carl, 19, suffered a punctured lung and had 42 staples to his chest and stomach.
Stephen's mum, Linda Lightbown, spoke of her anguish when she was told her son had deteriorated.
Hours early Stephen's sister Vicky Ainsworth had given birth to a baby girl, Reannan at Queen's Park Hospital.
Mrs Lightbown said: "The infirmary could not get hold of me because I was at Queen's Park with Vicky.
"I was heartbroken when I got to see him. He looked a mess."
Stephen was taken to Blackpool Victoria on Tuesday and was placed on the intensive care unit before later being transferred to a high-dependency ward.
His condition was today said to be comfortable.
Carl Parkinson was described as stable and is still at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.
Linda said the events of the last few days had been a roller-coaster of emotions.
She said: "I was so excited and having another granddaughter then I come home to be told about Stephen.
"It's terrible. Everyone is praying that he will be all right. It's a tragedy."
A 28-year-old Kosovar asylum seeker was remanded on bail when he appeared before Blackburn magistrates on Monday charged with two counts of wounding.
Agim Abazi, of Brookway, Blackburn, will appear at Preston Crown Court for trial on August 22.
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