Jessica Knight, 14, suffered multiple knife wounds after being attacked while walking through Astley Park in Chorley, Lancashire, at around 5.15pm on Monday.

Screams rang out alerting members of the public and a cyclist in the park found the youngster "covered in blood".

Two other people walking in the park helped the stricken teenager, who was given first aid before being rushed away by ambulance.

Jessica underwent five hours of emergency surgery at Chorley Hospital after the attack and is now in a stable but critical condition with her family at her bedside.

She was spotted by the cyclist lying unconscious on the pathway in the park.

A second man, Simon Corlson, 52, a project manager, dialled 999 on his mobile phone and then fetched a blanket from his car.

He said: "A policeman told me later that she'd been stabbed 30 times.

"But I only saw two of the wounds - one to her cheek, the other to her neck, pumping blood."

Police have warned locals to beware while the attacker is still on the loose.