TWO men are being quizzed by detectives in relation to the attempted murder of a man who was stabbed several times before he collapsed bleeding in the street.

The brutal attack took place in Horden, near Peterlee, County Durham, on Wednesday evening and left the man fighting for his life.

The victim was found with life-threatening stab wounds in Warren Square, close to Geordie’s Pizza, at around 6.50pm.

It is a busy area of the coastal village, near a park where children had been playing.

Claire Fishwick, 37, who lives on nearby Blackhills Terrace, said: “I had shouted my little girl in early for her tea and then I heard the helicopter.

“It was really low, shaking the house sort of thing. I saw all of the police up the street.

“All the bairns were running around shouting: ‘someone’s been stabbed, someone’s been stabbed’.

“When I went up to have a look he was lying beside the taxi rank. It is really brutal.

“Rumours are flying about all over. Until it has been confirmed we do not know what has happened. Let’s hope he make a recovery. It is really shocking.”

The man was treated at the scene by medics from the Great North Air Ambulance and flown to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough in a critical condition.

A spokesman for the charity said: “This was a challenging incident which required emergency workers from different organisations to work closely as a team.

“It's important to recognise the contribution made by on scene police officers, North-East Ambulance Service staff and the passing nurses.

“Our thoughts are with the injured man and his family.”

A major police operation is now underway in the village.

Officers have cordoned off Park Terrace with police tape and on Thursday afternoon crime scene investigation teams in white overalls scoured the back streets off Warren Street searching for evidence.

A 43-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and a 34-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

A police spokesman said: "The man had been stabbed several times and was given CPR by bystanders, two off-duty nurses and police before ambulance and air ambulance arrived and carried out advanced medical treatment.

"The victim remains is continuing to receive treatment in hospital."

Some residents said the incident had not surprised them.

Dale Chapman, 23, said: “It is just another day in the village. Nothing changes round here and stabbings are a normal thing.

“We have not seen a police response on this scale before though. I do not want to live around here anymore.”

George O’Neill, 25, who lives on Warren Street, with his 19-year-old partner, Allisha Taylor and their seven-week-old daughter, Ruby Rose, said: “This is becoming the norm. I want to move from around here.”

Miss Taylor added: “I feel sick about it. It is none of my business but my daughter won’t be growing up round this way.

“There are always sirens going by. Now I just blank it out. If you can find a street around here without a smashed window I will pay you a million pounds.”

Durham Constabulary has said inquiries are ongoing and are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to call 101, quoting reference 383 of August 9.