A LOCAL RAF man stabbed in Cyprus was "very poorly" today after being dramatically airlifted to a British military hospital for a second life-saving operation.

The Bolton family of Christopher Sweeney, 28, had believed the airman was slowly recovering from surgery to heal horrific internal injuries caused by the unprovoked knifing six days ago.

But yesterday the corporal had to be airlifted from Larnaca General Hospital, northern Cyprus, to a British military hospital, southern Cyprus, for another operation after his stomach swelled and he complained of "unbearable pain".

Doctors discovered that Christopher's injuries were so severe - the knife was plunged right through him narrowly missing a main artery - that Cypriot surgeons had initially missed a cut on his bowel leading to complications including an infection.

Yesterday Christopher, who was staying at his brother Martin's home in Vryssoules, near Dhekelia, when he was stabbed walking home from a restaurant, underwent a three-hour colostomy operation. Today surgeons described the airman as "very, very poorly" but said his condition was not life-threatening.

Christopher's stepmum Mrs Carole Sweeney, of Fryant Close, Blackrod, Bolton, said news of the second operation had sent the family reeling.

She said: "I feared the worst when I heard he had to be airlifted, but the main thing is that he is going to live."

Christopher's dad Adrian Sweeney and mum Patricia Pollard, who both flew to Cyprus, have now been moved into accommodation at the British hospital in Akrotiri so they can be with their son 24 hours a day.

Local and military police are still hunting the RAF man's attacker, believed to be a Greek Cypriot.

Today Mrs Sweeney, a devout Christian, urged local folk to pray for Christopher.

"He needs all the help he can get," she said.

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