A POLICEMAN from Bury has spoken of the moment he thought he was going to die just a few months before his retirement at the hands of a drug-crazed knife man.

Sgt Dave Barlow, who retires from the force today (Tues Dec 5), had to protect himself when a man he was arresting tried to escape and slashed at him with an eight-inch blade.

The 49-year-old policeman injured a shoulder in the fracas and a colleague who came to his rescue suffered a slashed finger.

The knifeman, Clinton Flynn (23), of Pimlott Road, Bolton, was jailed for three years at Bolton Crown Court on Thursday for wounding and assault and burglary.

Sgt Barlow, who has not worked since the incident in May, said it had marred the final days of his police career, spanning 30 years.

He was convinced that he would be killed as Flynn, who first began punching him in the head, went on to grab a kitchen knife. He said: "Flynn kept saying 'I'm going to kill you, I'm going to kill you', and there was no doubt in my mind he would.

"He grabbed a bottle of vinegar and tried to hit me with that. He then grabbed the knife and he lunged forward and tried to stab me in the face. I saw it coming and moved to the side."

Sgt Barlow's decision to retire was made before the attack, but he now suffers from post-traumatic stress and has had counselling.

The father-of-two, who lives in Bury, was stationed at Astley Bridge when the incident happened on May 1.

He went to a house in Bury Road after they heard Flynn, who was wanted in connection with a burglary, was hiding there.

Sgt Barlow went into the property while his colleague, Sgt Winward, waited outside. It was when the policeman searched through clothes in the pantry that he discovered Flynn hiding.

As he tried to handcuff Flynn, who was high on drugs, he started struggling and hitting out.

Sgt Winward, hearing the commotion, went inside to help restrain Flynn.

Sgt Barlow said: "Jim saved my life that day. If it wasn't for him that knife would have been in my head."

The court heard that Flynn had a long record for many offences, including burglaries and violence. He had served four years in jail for a total of 35 burglaries.

He has been a heroin addict since he was 18 years old. On the evening of the attack he had been under the influence of the drug and couldn't remember much of the incident.

He apologised unreservedly to the policemen and said that while he was in jail he intended to use his time constructively.

Sgt Barlow said that in the past he had been hospitalised for five weeks after being beaten up by car thieves and feels that his post-traumatic stress has come about after a culmination of experiences.