THE victim of a vicious attack with a "Rambo-style" blade has described how the consequences will stay with him for the rest of his life.

Liam Lofting, 23, severed muscles, arteries and nerves when he brought a fearsome knife down with force onto the right arm of his victim in Clacton.

The attack, carried out with a “zombie-style” blade, was launched without motive, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

In May last year, the victim visited a friend at a block of flats near Clacton seafront in order to collect some items of clothing.

As he entered the flats, he spotted a masked and hooded Lofting and the pair exchanged a brief greeting.

The court heard the victim knew Lofting through a mutual friend.

When the victim left a few minutes later, he was set upon by Lofting, bringing his right arm up to defend himself as the thug swung the blade.

The knife sliced almost clean through his arm.

Read more: Clacton thug locked up for slicing man with 'zombie knife'

In an impact statement, the victim said he was initially confident he would “heal up, be left with a scar and move on”.

“But that one day, that one moment has completely changed my life,” he said.

“One of the worst parts of the assault is I don’t understand why it happened.”

He added: “I replay it in my mind over and over again, and I am so thankful I moved in the way I did so I am still here and still alive.

“I have this wariness that has crept into my dreams, so I can’t escape it there.”

The victim was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, where his injury was described as “life and limb threatening”.

The cut had severed an artery, nerves and muscle before making a small cut in his right humerus bone.

The victim said: “I have this wariness that has crept into my dreams, so I can’t escape it there.”

Lofting, of North Road, Clacton, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The court heard Lofting, of North Road, Clacton, had served as a “model prisoner” at HMP Norwich since his remand last summer.

Recorder Sally O’Neill QC deemed Lofting to be a dangerous offender and sentenced him to eight years imprisonment.