TWO young brothers were seriously injured today after their necks were slashed with a knife in an incident at their home.

Daniel and Adam Schofield were discovered lying in a house in Lodge Street, Accrington, after Anita Pettifer, 27, ran into the town's police station at 8am to raise the alarm.

Six-year-old Daniel and his four-year-old brother were taken in separate ambulances to Blackburn Royal Infirmary with serious neck injuries.

Daniel, who was said to be critical, was later transferred to Pendlebury Children's Hospital, Manchester.

Adam was undergoing emergency surgery in the infirmary after his condition deteriorated this morning.

Anita was being looked after by police as officers began questioning neighbours in the area around the family's stone terraced house.

The curtains remained closed as a police forensic team prepared to examine the house.

John Marsden, district manager of Blackburn Ambulance Station, said the two boys suffered serious cuts to their throats.

He said: "When the two crews arrived at the scene they saw a man lying on top of the two children at the top of the staircase with a knife in his hand. "The children were conscious but were in shock. They were placed into separateambulances and taken to hospital.

"The ambulance staff were deeply affected by the incident."

Witness Michael Campbell, who works at the valeting centre in nearby Manor Street, saw a person kick in the door when he was standing at the end of Lodge Street.

He said: "I heard the door get booted. I saw a person, I believe to be a woman, run into the house. I heard kids screaming and a man shouting and then the woman ran out and jumped into a blue car which raced off down the road."

A 32-year-old man was arrested and was later under police guard at a hospital in East Lancashire.

The brothers attend Peel Park County Primary School, Alice Street, Accrington.

Headteacher Hugh Burkinshaw said: "Adam has been at the school since September and Daniel is in his third year. We are very shocked indeed about the news.

"We will do what we feel is necessary during the course of the day to put the pupils' minds at rest."

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