Man Stabbed In The Face In Southampton

A man is to undergo surgery after being stabbed in the face during a random and unprovoked attack as he walked through a park, police said.

The victim was knifed in an ''extremely unusual incident'' in the Millbrook area of Southampton, Hampshire, in the early hours of this morning, a detective said.

High-visibility patrols have been introduced in the area as detectives from Hampshire Police appealed for the public's help in finding the attacker.

The hooded knifeman was riding an old mountain bike and the victim, who has not been named, now faces surgery at Southampton General Hospital.

Detective Constable Vicky Boddy, of Southampton CID, said:

 ''This is an extremely unusual incident, which we are treating as a random and unprovoked attack.

''We have a team of detectives dedicated to this investigation and inquiries are continuing in the area to find this man as quickly as possible.

''This is a concerning incident but these circumstances are very rare.''

The suspect is described as white, aged 22 to 23, about 5ft 10ins and slim. He spoke with a local accent and wore a grey hooded top with the hood up and dark tracksuit bottoms.

Anyone with information is asked to call Southampton CID on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.