Man stabbed in car theft

Richard McCavana was injured during the struggle

A man stabbed in the leg during a struggle with a car thief in County Antrim has been speaking about his ordeal.

Richard McCavana, 23, under went emergency surgery after a man stabbed him twice in the leg and stole his car just before 2200 GMT on Tuesday.

He had been getting into his car at the Kingsway Complex in Dunmurry when he was approached by a man who demanded the vehicle.

He was stabbed in the leg and knee before the thief made off in his car.

Mr McCavana needed 19 stitches to the wounds on his leg but the car thief also tried to stab him in the stomach.

However, he said he did not think twice about tackling the thief.

Mr McCavana said: "It was instinct really, you don't think of the consequences.

The victim needed stitches to his leg wounds

"I didn't want to lose my car. I just grabbed him and tried to hold them off as long as I could."

The area has its own neighbourhood watch scheme and since it began a year ago more than 1,000 incidents - many involving knives - have been recorded.

The police say they are checking to see if the attack was captured on CCTV cameras.

They have appealed for any witnesses to the incident to come forward.