AN eyewitness to an attempted murder in Dalton this evening has described the moment he saw a man carrying a bloody axe.
The man told how the drama unfolded before him, saying he believed an off-duty policeman eventually intervened.
A 42-year-old man is in custody while the victim is fighting for his life in hospital.
The eye witness said: "I saw a guy walk into the newsagents carrying a bloody axe, then shortly after a different guy walked out covered in blood.
"I spoke to the person who runs the shop and he said that the guy with the axe was stopped by an off duty police officer who just happened to be driving past, left his car in the street."
Images have emerged of the attack victim but we have chosen not to publish them because of their distressing nature.
Detectives are currently working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to contact police on 101 and quote log number 219 of today.
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