THE victim of a Blackburn town centre stabbing has spoken of his ordeal after his attacker was jailed indefinitely.

Lee Currie told how he was running to keep an appointment when Anthony Bell, who he had considered a friend, gave chase.

Mr Currie, 23, said Bell shouted that he was going to stab him, at which point he stopped and confronted his attacker.

“I asked him what he was talking about and he went for me,” said Mr Currie. “I felt the knife go into my back and then he slashed at my face. I ran off and could feel the blood running down my face.”

Mr Currie said the attack in broad daylight in Blackburn town centre had shocked him.

“You just don’t expect someone to pull a knife on you for no reason,” he said.

“Anthony and I have been mates in the past although we had a bit of a fall out. I never expected him to do anything like that.”

Bell, of Devon Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to wounding with intent. He was given an indeterminate sentence for the protection of the public.

The judge, Recorder Raymond Wigglesworth QC, said he felt there was a serious risk to members of the public of Bell committing serious offences in the future.

Imposing the public protection style sentence he told the defendant: “Until the parole board is satisfied you are no longer a danger, you will remain in custody.”

Bell will serve a minimum of three years.