A witness appeal has been launched after a man in his early 20s was stabbed in the arm on a pathway close to Stevenage town centre.

The victim was walking on the pathway between Silam Road and the duck pond in the Town Centre Gardens when a man approached him and swung his right arm at him.

He spotted a knife in the attacker’s hand and raised his arm to defend himself, suffering a small stab wound to his left forearm.

The victim head-butted the suspect and ran off towards Silam Road.

Following the attack – which took place at around 9.30am on Tuesday, April 23 – police have today launched a witness appeal.

The offender has been described as a slim, white man with stubble and around 5ft 8in tall. He was wearing a black hooded top, black tracksuit bottoms with a black drawstring bag on his back.

Detective Constable Phil Farman, who is investigating, said: “Fortunately the victim spotted the knife, which had a 2-3in blade, and raised his arm in self-defence, otherwise he could have been even more seriously hurt.

“I am very keen to speak to any members of the public who may have witnessed the incident, particularly those who were walking or driving along Silam Road and may have seen anything.

“I would like to reassure residents that assaults of this kind are unusual and we are working hard to apprehend the person responsible.”

The attack comes after a separate incident in Stevenage a week earlier, when a 16-year-old boy suffered an injury to his hand during an attempted robbery in Ripon Road when three offenders allegedly tried to steal the boy’s bicycle.

Anyone with information about the pathway incident that they believe could assist the investigation is asked to email DC Farman on philip.farman@herts.police.uk, report online at herts.police.uk/Report or call the non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference 41/36566/19.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through the independent crime-fighting charity’s anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will never need to go to court.