AN Iraqi asylum-seeker yesterday told how he helped one of his countrymen when he collapsed on his doorstep with serious stab wounds.

The teenage refugee had been stabbed in the neck and upper body and was losing blood when he knocked on the window of a house in Borough Road, Middlesbrough.

Police believe the victim knew his attacker, also believed to be an Iraqi, and had been with him prior to the incident, which took place at 5.50pm on Sunday.

The injured 18-year-old cried out in Kurdish, which Karzan Ismael understood because he speaks the same language.

Mr Ismael, 24, said: "He was saying 'please help me, please help me, I am dying'.

"I opened the door and saw he had been stabbed many times, there was blood all over the place.

"It was very upsetting because it is the first time I have seen any trouble since I have been here."

The teenager was taken to Middlesbrough General Hospital, where his condition was yesterday described as serious but stable.

Police arrested a 21-year-old Iraqi man and are arranging for an interpreter to help them interview the men and find out what happened.

A police spokesman said: "The two men know each other, though they are not related.

"It is something that could have happened in any section of the community.

"There has obviously been a disagreement about something and things have proceeded from there."

An argument is though to have started in Lytton Street, near the flyover, and continued as they walked down Borough Road.

Anyone with information, or who witnessed the incident, is asked to call Detective Sergeant Ted Allen, of Cleveland Police, on (01642) 303146