Desperate screams of "he's dying" could be heard after a masked gang stormed a home and viciously stabbed one of the occupants.
Three men, wearing dark clothing and balaclavas, forced their way inside the property on Wood Street in Fingerpost, St Helens.
Up to seven police cars raced to the address at around 11.30pm on Friday night following reports Masked burglars stab and attack woman, teen and man inside family home in the stomach, back and chest.
A 19-year-old man, who heard the commotion from upstairs and ran down, was also hurt, while a woman was struck during the commotion.
This afternoon, shocked locals described how they saw the 43-year-old man, dressed in just his boxer shorts, in the front garden, clutching his heavily bleeding side and back.
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Neighbours said the woman who lives at the address rushed outside and knocked on a resident's door, telling them: "Call an ambulance, he's been stabbed!"
More eyewitnesses described seeing the 43-year-old on a stretcher, while others described the wound as so deep, "you could see his muscle."
The gang crashed their way inside the terraced home after a 53-year-old man, who is not believed to live at the address, answered a knock at the door.
One local said there were sometimes young children staying at the address, but none were there when the stabbing took place.
One neighbour told the ECHO: "It was just that hectic, you couldn't see what was going on.
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"We looked out and one of them didn't look well.
"He was on a stretcher. He's now in a trauma unit.
"I was upstairs, and she [the female occupant] came knocking on the door asking for an ambulance, saying, 'someone's been stabbed'."
Another resident added: "It's a dead quiet street.
"It's not nice, no matter what it is.
"It used to be a fist fight, people would shake hands and then bugger off."
The 43-year-old underwent surgery for his wounds and was described in a stable condition in hospital.
Masked burglars stab and attack woman, teen and man inside family home
The 19-year-old man suffered a cut to his shin while trying to intervene.
The offenders escaped empty handed.
Detective Inspector Sue Hinds, of Merseyside Police, said: "This is a shocking incident which has resulted in one man suffering serious injuries which required surgery and has left the other occupants of the address extremely shaken.
"I would appeal to anyone who was in the Wood Street area at around 11.30pm who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously to get in touch.
"Incidents such as this are rare and this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.
"I would appeal to anyone who has any information which could assist the investigation to contact us as soon as possible so we can find the people responsible and bring them to justice."
Anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC.
You can also call 101 quoting incident reference 1120 of 12 April, or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form here.
