The wife of a heroic college man, who was stabbed five times by two burglars, today told of how she thought she had lost him.

Colchester Institute's Jim Napier, 48, had fallen asleep on the living room settee of his Bober Court home, in Colchester, on Thursday night, when he was woken up at about 11pm by two men wielding knives and demanding money and drugs.

In the ensuing scuffle the father-of-three was stabbed in the back and leg, where the blade pierced an artery, causing him to nearly bleed to death.

But wife Mandy, 46, described how he still continued threatening the pair while one approached her, repeatedly telling her to get money while their daughter was upstairs phoning the police.

They fled empty-handed.

And Mr Napier is recovering.

Anybody with information is asked to call Colchester CID on 0300 333 444 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.