Dad-of-six stabbed EIGHT TIMES outside school thought he was going to die in front of his children

A dad-of-six who was stabbed eight times outside a primary school has told how he feared he would die in front of his terrified children.

Steven Higginson, 33, was attacked as he waited for three of his children to emerge from North Walkden Primary School in Salford.

He survived, but says he will be haunted forever by the moment he realised he’d been knifed.

Steven told the Manchester Evening News: "I thought he was punching me for a start.

"I didn't feel anything.

"It wasn't until I lifted my jumper up and blood started pouring from my body I realised I'd been stabbed.

"My hands were covered in red and there was blood all over the car bonnet."

Steven was stabbed in his sides and chest after an argument broke out on November 28.

Barry Parkes, 42, of Vestris Drive, Salford, has admitted causing grievous bodily harm on the day his Manchester Crown Court trial was due to start.

Natalie Lawton, 30, of Argyle Street, Walkden, had already admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

The pair will be sentenced next month.

Parkes is expected to argue that Steven attacked him first.

But Steven continued: "It all happened in a matter of seconds so I didn't really know what was going on.

"When I saw all the blood I shouted to my friend to help me.

"I was half collapsing but I still went to get back in my car.

"I didn't want my kids to see me like that.

"My mate stopped me and said I had to go to the school.

"I walked through all the children and parents to the building and you could tell no one knew what had just happened.

"My kids were the only thing I could think about.

"They saw the blood pouring out of the holes in my side.

"I'm angry that it happened in front of my kids and all the other children.

"They should never have witnessed what happened that day."

Inside the school a caretaker put pressure on the wounds while they waited for an ambulance as Steven was fighting to stay conscious.

He was then airlifted to the Manchester Royal Infirmary to check for life-threatening damage to his arteries or vital organs.

He said: "The caretaker was amazing.

"He knew exactly what to do and held the wounds.

"But there were so many he even said he ran out of hands.

"As I was bleeding I could feel myself getting weaker and weaker.

"I thought that was it.

"My kids were on my mind constantly.

"It was thinking of them that got me through."