THE fourth victim of vicious attacks in a Burnley park was today recovering from hammer and knife wounds.

The daughter of the latest victim - Denis White, 54, of Atrium Court, Burnley, said he would not be alive today but for a family who rushed to his aid.

Helen White appealed for the family who helped her dad to come forward so she can thank them personally.

Mr White, a retired attendant at Towneley Hall, was making his way home from a hospital appointment at 3.30pm yesterday near the entrance to the former Bank Hall Miners Club, off Colne Road, when he saw an Asian man walking behind him.

He started to run and the man caught up with him and hit him on the back of the head with a lump hammer.

David Walker, Helen's boyfriend, said: "He had him on the floor and he kept saying: 'Tell me you are sorry,' so Denis kept saying sorry but he just kept on hitting him with the hammer."

Mr White suffered a suspected broken jaw, broken nose, broken arm, knee injuries and gashes to the back and side of his head and superficial knife wounds to his chest and arms. He is "satisfactory" in Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Inspector Clive Tattum said a 25-year-old local man was arrested. He was due to be questioned today.

He praised the actions of the people who came to the victims assistance, but said they did not want to be named.

DCI Tattum said a knife, lump hammer and items stolen from the victim were recovered nearby.

He said: "Although there were differences from the earlier attacks it would be foolish not to consider links in view of the proximity of the incidents and the type of weapons used."

A man in custody yesterday had taken part in an identity parade and has since been released on police bail.

DCI Tattum said: "It is quite feasible more than one person is responsible for the attacks but quite clearly it could be the same man responsible for them all."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.