A MAN inadvertently stabbed by a long-standing friend he was trying to restrain feared he would die.

The victim suffered a deep cut to his thigh from one of two knives wielded by Marc William Blades, in the Boxing Day incident.

Durham Crown Court heard the knife went 15cm into his leg, badly damaging an artery, causing massive blood loss.

Richard Bennett, prosecuting, said he slumped to the ground, outside his house in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, lapsing in and out of consciousness, with what appeared a life threatening injury.

Mr Bennett said as efforts were made to stem the blood flow, he told a neighbour: “Give the kids a big kiss. Tell them I always loved them. My time is up.”

But he was treated at hospital and, despite the scarring, he recovered.

Blades was found blood-stained from a self-inflicted stab wound to the buttock when arrested at his nearby home.

He said the injury caused to his old friend was “a mistake” as he struggled to break free of his grip.

The court heard Blades was heavily drunk and went to the house armed with two knives as he believed his former partner had been drinking there.

He began lashing out over the fence towards his brother who came out of a neighbouring house to calm him down.

It was then that he inadvertently stabbed his friend and himself as he tried to break-free.

Blades, 38, of Potto Street, Shotton Colliery, admitted unlawful wounding and two counts of possessing a knife in public.

Richard Herrmann, mitigating, said Blades was intent on self-harm and was “deeply remorseful”.

Jailing him for two years, Judge Neil Clark told Blades that anyone arming themselves in such a way while drunk posed a risk.