A COMMUNITY in Cirencester has been left in a state of shock after a resident was stabbed in the face in a violent attack.

Paul Allen, 42, was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment after being left with a serious wound just above his eye following the attack at a house in St Michael’s Road, Watermoor last Thursday morning.

A witness said a man threw a brick through the window of the property, which is owned by housing group Bromford, and climbed inside to carry out the assault.

After the attacker left the house, the victim came out with blood on his face, calling for help and shouting that he had been stabbed, the witness said.

The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said that this was the violent culmination of a string of anti-social behaviour incidents in the community, which had left residents living in fear.

“This is the third time he’s had his windows smashed in,” he said.

“We’re probably the only ones who say anything because there’s a lot of old people around here who feel intimidated.

“It’s like living in the Bronx, you wouldn’t think it was Cirencester.

“I can’t let my grandchild come around here. My daughter doesn’t want me to bring my grandchild down because even in this flat I have the windows open and you have fights, you have swearing.”

He added: “This has been going on and on and on, we’ve told the police, we’ve told Bromford but nothing gets done. It’s just a joke.

“I said before long there’s going to be a stabbing and there we go, it’s happened – next someone’s going to die.”

Police arrested a 30-year-old man at an address in Countess Lilias Road, Chesterton, in connection with the stabbing, on the same morning of the attack.

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police said he was later released without charge while police investigations were ongoing, with forensic inquiries relating to blood still to be completed.

Police officers remained in St Michael’s Road throughout the morning following the attack as they sought to reassure people in the neighbourhood.

Charlie Winter-Taylor, Bromford’s head of localities, said: “Due to the ongoing police investigation we are unable to comment on this specific incident.

“However we have been working closely with the police and local residents to resolve the ongoing issues in the community and will continue to do so.”