WOODFORD GREEN: Grandfather defiant after random knife attack

Determined Doug Slade returned from an evening at a friend’s house at 10.30pm when a hooded man appeared in the darkness.

The 63-year-old, of Empress Avenue, Woodford Green, thought he was going to be asked directions, but the man pulled out a knife and launched the attack without warning.

Despite being stabbed in the chest, face and arm, Mr Slade chased his attacker towards High Road.

He said: “You don’t realise you have been stabbed at first. It felt like I had been punched or something.

“I was spouting claret everywhere but like an idiot I chased him back down the road, I just started yelling and shouting for all I was worth.”

“It was a frenzied attack. What bothers me is there didn’t seem to be a motive for it.”

Neighbours were alerted by Mr Slade’s shouting and went to his aid.

He was taken to Royal London Hospital but has been unable to work since being discharged due to his arm injury.

“We went down to The Cricketers pub and there were people just clamouring around making sure I was okay," Mr Slade added.

“My wife couldn’t get home after they took me to hospital because she came in the ambulance, but a friend of ours, a taxi driver, just dropped off his fares with another driver to come here and take her home. They were all there for us.”

“A lot of people don’t get over these events, they retreat into themselves and it changes them. I’m not going to let it get to me.”

The attacker is described as a young black man wearing dark clothing.

A police spokeswoman said: "The motive for the incident remains unclear at this point in time. Police are continuing to follow various lines of enquiry to apprehend the person involved.

"The incident does not appear to be part of a linked series."

Anyone with information about the attack on July 19 is asked to call Detective Constable Yasmin Hussain on 0208 345 2722.

Click here to follow the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian on Twitter