Knife thugs left a man for dead after stabbing him in the throat and head in a brutal revenge attack after a row in a Fulham pub.
The victim, 34, and a friend of the same age, were set upon by up to ten hooded attackers after an argument with a man in The Goose, North End Road, on Saturday night at about 8.30.
The man they rowed with left the pub – only to return minutes later with a reinforcements, who witnesses say were armed with knives and baseball bats.
They chased the friends out of the pub and a few yards up Lillie Road, where both were punched in the face before one was stabbed, and the attackers ran off towards the Clem Attlee Estate.
The less injured victim, who received wounds to his hand and face, helped his friend to the Mobile Phone Internet Cafe a few yards back towards North End Road and sought help from shop manager Waseem Ahmed, who applied first aid.
He said: "It was very, very shocking. The blood was really flowing out, it was everywhere. I could see the wound, it was very serious, blood was literally pumping out. I got some cloth and told his friend to apply pressure on the head and neck while I called police.
"The officers came and laid him on the pavement. He was really courageous – even with these wounds he was telling police what happened. He said the fight started because of a single look in the pub. He said he didn't want trouble."
Mr Ahmed believes the man, who it is believed has been released from hospital, is lucky to be alive and said the ambulance took a long time to arrive.
"If his wound had been more serious, the delay could have been fatal. I did what I could and I'm glad I helped. I know the lesser injured man, he comes in the shop, I'm glad he came to me."
A man eating at the nearby Tutto Bene restaurant said he know trouble was brewing after seeing the gang heading towards the pub just before the attack.
He said: "I noticed them and saw they had knives and other weapons. I knew something was going to happen but didn't know what. It was really concerning."
Police closed the entrance to Lillie Road between 9.40pm and 2.50am, which stopped restaurants in the area making deliveries.
Mr Ahmed reopened the following morning after clearing away pools of blood from the pavement.
"It's usually a nice area, this is a really big shock," he added.
Police are looking for witnesses. The gang are all believed to be aged between 20-30 and black. Anyone with information should call DC Mark Breeze at Hammersmith CID on 0208 246 2504 or crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
