A MAN was stabbed in an alley in Astley Bridge after he stopped a criminal from climbing over a neighbour’s gate in the early hours of Monday morning.

Fortunately he was wearing thick heavy-duty trousers at the time which prevented serious injury.

Police were called to the incident, which happened at around 1.30am in an alley behind Old Road. But the attacker had already fled the scene.

No hospital treatment was required and enquiries are ongoing.

The resident said: “I’d arrived back home from a late shift and went to take the rubbish out in the alley. I saw a man trying to climb over a neighbour’s gate so I went over and stopped him.

“He then grabbed me and stabbed me in the top of my left thigh. It looked like a kitchen knife and the blade was about five inches long.

“Luckily I was wearing thick cargo pants so it only nicked my skin, but it could’ve been a lot worse. There wasn’t any blood just a small puncture.

“He didn’t threaten me at all, he just pulled the knife out and stabbed me straight away.

“I was shaken up afterwards and my wife called the police, but the man had run away.

“There haven’t been incidents like this before in the area, it is worrying as a lot of elderly people live around here.

A police spokesman said: “Officers were called just before 1.40am on Monday November 23 to Old Road in Bolton to a report of an assault.

“Officers attended and enquiries established a 41-year-old man had been stabbed in the leg by another man, who subsequently fled the scene. The man received minor injuries that did not require hospital treatment. No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.

“Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 5545 quoting log number 136 of 23/11/20. lternatively, details can be passed on anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”