A man has been stabbed 15 times after remonstrating with a group who were throwing stones at a house.
According to Press Association, a number of people were standing outside a house on Kingfisher Drive in Bury when they started to throw stones at the window, at around 1.30am today, Greater Manchester Police said.
A 22-year-old man walked outside and asked them to stop before he was hit with a stick, a police spokesman said.
He returned to the house but stones were still being thrown. He walked back outside to remonstrate with them and gave chase.
When they reached a footpath at the back of Kingfisher Drive, the group turned on him and he was stabbed 15 times in the body and head. The offenders ran off before police were called.
The man is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
Two 15-year-old boys, a 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remain in custody for questioning, the spokesman said.
Detective Sergeant Lawrence Dixon said: “When the man confronted the group and gave chase, he was set upon and stabbed numerous times. His injuries are serious and he is lucky to be alive.
“Due to the severity of this attack, we are treating it as attempted murder and I would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact us. Although we have made arrests, we are still investigating and asking for information.
“Obviously the local community will be deeply upset by what has happened but we have stepped up patrols in the area and are dedicated to finding out who is responsible.”
Anyone with information is asked to phone police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.