A KNIFEMAN who almost killed a man in a street attack was jailed for two-and-a-half years yesterday.

Daniel Thoms needed four litres of blood to replace that lost when Kevin White's knife hit a vein in his neck.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Mr Thoms was also stabbed in the stomach during the unprovoked attack, on July 12, last year.

The court heard Mr Thoms stopped breathing on the way to hospital, and only the skill of paramedics saved him.

Mr Thoms was attacked as he walked friends back from a party at his home in Archer Square, Sunderland.

The court heard how Mr Thoms, a postman, was unable to return to work for 11 months.

White, 20, of Blake Close, South Stanley, County Dur-ham, had pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

Paul Cross, in mitigation, said: "This is a young man who, full of drink, goes out plainly looking for some sort of trouble, but not looking to cause serious injury and not intending to cause serious injury."