Police are investigating a brutal attempted murder in a Scots town after a man was found suffering from severe slash wounds.
The 28-year-old man was attacked near a nursery in Craigie Road, Kilmarnock, at around 9.20pm on Saturday.
The wounded victim managed to make his way to a nearby flat in Jeffrey Street before emergency services were called to the scene.
He was raced to Crosshouse Hospital for treatment to his numerous injuries and remains in a critical but stable condition.
Eye-witnesses report seeing a blood-soaked man holding his neck around the time of the incident.
A heavy police presence remains in the Riccarton area, with officers scouring the surrounding streets for evidence.
Officers are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the victim, who was wearing a grey jumper and gilet, around the time of the attack.
Detective Sergeant Andrea Templeton, East Ayrshire CID, said: "From our enquiries so far, it appears that the man was attacked to the rear of a nearby nursery school in Craigie Road and then managed to make his way to a flat in Jeffrey Street where and ambulance and police were called.
"At this time we are still trying to establish why he was attacked and so would appeal to anyone who saw what happened, or who may have any information, CCTV or dash-cam footage that may assist our enquiry to come forward.
"Although the area is quite open, it's near Riccarton Park, there may have been people about who saw what happened or the injured man, who was wearing a dark coloured 'gilet' and a grey jumper."
Information can be passed to East Ayrshire CID, Kilmarnock Police Station, via 101, using the reference number 4218 of 2 May 2020.
