A BLACKBIRD Leys man was last night fighting for his life after being stabbed five times in the stomach.

The 33-year-old was attacked in his Balfour Road home on Saturday evening with what police believe was a knife.

Last night police said the victim was in a critical but stable condition at the John Radcliffe Hospital and no arrests had been made.

Neighbours told how the street outside the home lit up with blue lights at about 6.30pm on Saturday as ambulances and police arrived.

Mum-of-two Joanne Bird, 36, who lives opposite the house, said: “It is scary to hear about this sort of thing when you are living right next door to it. Nothing else like this has ever happened around here.”

Two police forensic vehicles were parked outside the terrace home yesterday along with two neighbourhood police officers.

Balfour Road resident John Forrest, 52, said: “It’s a housing estate that has a bit of a reputation but it has never been that bad. This is a bit disconcerting.”

Manager at the Best One store M Raja added: “It is very sad.”

And father-of-five Anam Hoque, 39, of Balfour Road, said he had kept his children indoors yesterday to stop them from seeing what had happened.

He said: “I was shocked when I saw the police and found out what had happened.”

Det Insp Mike Lynch, investigating the incident, yesterday said: “At this stage, we are treating this incident as a GBH with intent, but we have been unable to take an account from the victim yet and have no witnesses to what happened.

“Initial investigations show the victim may have been specifically targeted and we do not believe this is a random attack.

“I would urge anyone with any information about the incident or who saw any suspicious activity in the area to contact us.”

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.