A MAN had his face slashed before he was pepper sprayed by an attacker in his own home.

Officers swooped on Twyford Road in Eastleigh after a man was subject¬ ed to the savage assault yesterday morning.

The attacker knocked on the back door of a ground floor flat and slashed the 38-year-old victim above the right eye with a blade.

Police say the assailant unleashed pepper spray onto the terrified vic¬ tim, forcing the evacuation of the building.

The three-storey building, which is occupied by six people living in con¬ verted flats, was cordoned off by police as they investigated the inci¬ dent.

Forensic teams scoured the area, including bushes and drains, as they searched for a weapon while a dog handling team was also called in.

The incident happened at 8.40am, at a time when people were heading to work.

Daily Echo:

The victim was taken by ambu¬ lance to Winchester Hospital for treatment and was later discharged.

One resident who lives in the block, who did not want to be named, said: “The first thing I heard was when the police woke us up.

“They knocked on the door and said a man had been stabbed severe¬ ly in the kitchen.

“Police and forensics were all over the house.

“The man lives on his own in the front room ground room flat. There was me and another gent home when it happened.

“I was terrified to have that on your door step. How safe are you meant to feel?”

Other residents have spoken of their shock.

Neil Aitken, 39, an auditor from Twyford Road, Eastleigh, said: “I didn’t hear anything.

“You think you can avoid a sense¬ less attack by being in your own home. It’s where you should feel safe and for something like this to hap¬ pen is scary. It has taken me by sur¬ prise.”

Andy Killick, 39, director of Homeseal, from Highcliffe Drive, Eastleigh, said: “My wife and I were shocked when we came in this morn¬ ing to find police cars and the house cordoned off. It doesn’t normally happen down this road. It is not nice to have it happen on your door step.”

Daily Echo:

Retired Roy Chandler, 82, from Twyford Road, Eastleigh, said: “Police came to ask if we had heard anything this morning, but we were only just getting up. “I am very shocked. It’s so close to us and concerning. It’s a close com¬ munity and nothing like this hap¬ pens down this road.”

Janet Moore, 57, a machine opera¬ tor from Allbrook Hill, Eastleigh, said: “I walked past this morning and I saw three police cars parked along the kerb, two policemen walked down to the end houses and were looking in all the gardens.

“It’s dreadful. You can’t go any¬ where anymore. It’s scary.”

Police want witnesses who saw anyone running away from the house on Twyford Road to call them.

Anyone living in the area who has found any discarded items in their gardens, particularly sharp objects, should contact Eastleigh police on 101.

A 20-year-old man has been arrested and is being questioned by police.

Echo reporting team: Rory McKeown, Rebecca Pearson and Sam Goold