Blackpool man was stabbed protecting woman from attack

Kemal Mert Misik, who lives in Blackpool, was staying with a friend on Lytham Road on October 14 when he was alerted to the commotion.

The 30-year-old Cypriot, who was born and raised in London, said everything “happened so fast” that it was not until later that he realised he had been stabbed.

Kemal, who lives in the town centre and works in a resort convenience store, said he had gone to bed when his friend said she could hear a “disturbance” nearby at around 4.30am.

He rushed to the scene where he was confronted by an armed man.

Kemal said: “I could see him with a knife and he was waving it about. I managed to grab hold of a TV to protect myself and he tried to stab me.”

He went to intervene when he thought the man was going to hurt another person who was present.

“I dropped the TV and grabbed hold of him,” he added.

“That is when he stabbed me twice even though I hadn’t noticed and it just felt like punches.”

Kemal then pushed the man to the ground and he saw the blood “squirting out” from his own chest.

In order to distract his attacker, Kemal tried to lure him away from a woman he was near. The man followed him outside.

Kemal said: “I started winding him up. When we were both outside, there was no chance of getting back in.

“I lost sight of where he went at first but then I spotted him walking in the opposite way down Lytham Road.”

Not wanting to follow his attacker, Kemal started walking home without any clothes on. It’s only when he got home without any keys that a neighbour contacted the emergency services and he was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

After three days, Kamal was allowed to return home and his concerned mother has since put him on house arrest.

He said: “She is very protective and doesn’t like me going out the house since it happened.”

Following the incident, armed officers launched a search of the area. A man was subsequently arrested.

At the time, police moved to reassure residents and thanked members of the public for their cooperation during the search.

A 39-year-old man has been charged inconnection with the stabbing and sexual assault. He is due to appear at Preston Crown Court next month.