A young man was left seriously injured after he was stabbed with a sword on a housing estate.

The former Canterbury College student, 23, was airlifted to a London hospital after the attack at his home in Barnes Way, Herne Bay, on Friday afternoon.

His father, Joe Parker, says the ordeal has left his son fearing for his life.

“He had a sword in his back and it cut his liver,” the 60-year-old said.

“He’s not into crime; he doesn’t do anything like that.

"I don’t know why he’s been stabbed, but they came to take his life. We’re worried for our safety.”

Mr Parker says his son - who we have chosen not to name - had left the first-floor flat to answer the door to their block when he was confronted by two men in their 20s, one holding a sword.

Witnesses also say one of the attackers was armed with a “huge” blade before fleeing the estate in Hillborough in a black car.

“My son was bleeding out on the stairs and he was going in and out of consciousness,” Mr Parker added.

“If the woman in the flat next door to us wasn’t here, he would have died.

"She stemmed the flow of blood and shut him in her flat to make sure he was safe.”

Mr Parker was in Folkestone at the time of the attack and was not made aware of it until he received a phone call from his injured son.

“He told me ‘I’m bleeding; I’ve been stabbed’,” Mr Parker said.

“It was horrific to hear that – I drove back as fast as I could. I was worried.”

The victim remains in hospital in a stable condition.

Mr Parker said: “He doesn’t deserve to have his life taken. He doesn’t know why they’ve done it.”

Shocked neighbours say they saw several police cars and an ambulance in Barnes Way on Friday.

One of them, who wanted to remain anonymous, was at work at the time but said her in-laws, who were babysitting her children, called the police when they saw a man in her garden.

“He told them that someone with a knife was after him,” she said.

“They didn’t know if he was a burglar so they locked the doors and called the police.”

Witnesses should call 101.

Anyone who saw the incident or witnessed a black car leaving the location is urged to call 101, quoting reference 46/35340/19, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.