Father's 'shock' over stab attack

Mrs Witchalls was stabbed as she pushed her toddler son in a buggy

The father of stab victim Abigail Witchalls has told of his "tremendous shock" at the attack which has left his daughter paralysed.

Mrs Witchalls, 26, is "stable" in intensive care after the incident in Little Bookham, Surrey, on Wednesday.

Her father Martin Hollins appealed for anyone with information on the stabbing to come forward.

A woman arrested over the attack has been released without charge. A man arrested with her is still in custody.

Surrey Police had been questioning the 29-year-old woman, along with a 28-year-old man, on suspicion of attempted murder.

The woman had been "released without charge and eliminated from the investigation", a spokesman confirmed.

Mr Hollins said his daughter had been communicating by facial expressions and appeared to know quite a lot about her condition.

She's very seriously paralysed at the moment... but she's communicated that somehow she has the strength of spirit to cope Martin Hollins, father of Abigail Witchalls

He described the agony of waiting for news after the attack.

"We stayed there [the hospital] through the night and going home in the morning we were thinking she wouldn't survive. It was a less than 50% chance of survival," he said.

"Fortunately we have some hope but initially we had absolutely no hope at all."

Martin Hollins choked back tears as he told of his pride in his daughter

Mr Hollins said his daughter's condition was "almost certainly long term disabling".

"I'm very, very proud of her and most of all about how she is dealing with this," he said

"She's very seriously paralysed at the moment, she knows about that, but she's communicated that somehow she has the strength of spirit to cope."

Mr Hollins, a science teacher, said Mrs Witchalls was still displaying a sense of humour, and that the family had "taken inspiration from Abigail's example" as they tried to cope with what had happened.

Father's appeal

The man and woman being questioned were taken into custody after going into nearby Leatherhead police station on Friday afternoon.

Both were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and the man's blue Peugeot car seized.

The move came four hours after police made an appeal for information about the movements of a couple seen in a vehicle matching a similar description on Burnhams Road, Little Bookham, close to where the attack happened.

"He [Mrs Witchalls' husband] has done a wonderful job of communicating with his wife and that's great to see" Martin Hollins

Mr Hollins appealed for anyone with any information to come forward.

"Someone must know the person or persons responsible," he said.

"It's also possible someone has suspicions about a friend or relative - if that person is you, we urge you to tell the police to help them with their investigations."

Mrs Witchalls was stabbed in the neck as she pushed her toddler son Joseph in a buggy.

Relatives are at her bedside at St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London, where her mother, Professor Sheila Hollins, also works.

Members of her family are caring for her son who is just under two years old.

Surrey Police has 'flooded' the Little Bookham area with officers

He was found out of his buggy by his mother's side, as she lay slumped on the ground, by residents who came running after hearing screams.

Mrs Witchalls' husband Benoit, 26, has remained close to her bedside in hospital.

Mr Hollins said: "He's done a wonderful job of communicating with his wife and that's great to see.

"It's really hard, he's in such pain and I really feel for him," he added.

Father Rod Jones, a priest and family friend, said Mrs Witchalls was "very grateful" for all the prayers and support for her and that it had given her "tremendous strength".