A MAN remained seriously injured in hospital last night after he was stabbed during a mass brawl on a housing estate.

Police were called to the Sherburn Road Estate, in Durham City, following reports of a fight involving up to six people, some armed with baseball bats.

Two buses passed nearby, with passengers as well as shocked residents witnessing the violence.

However, when police arrived, there was no sign of any incident.

Details of the brawl began to emerge when police received a report of a damaged van on a retail park three hours later.

It is thought the incident involved the occupants of a blue Vauxhall van and a red hatchback, which had apparently been in an accident.

The blue van was found on the nearby Dragonville Industrial Estate, with damage to its front end and its airbags having been deployed.

Police traced the owner, who identified the driver as a 35-year-old man from Peterlee, east Durham, who by then was in Sunderland Royal Hospital having suffered stab wounds to his torso, possibly to a lung.

Yesterday, Acting Detective Inspector Mick Kirtley said the man had undergone an operation and was on a ventilator.

He said: “We do not believe this was a random attack and, from checks on CCTV, we now believe there were three vehicles involved in this incident – the Vauxhall van, a red hatchback and a blue Volvo.

“It is imperative that we talk to everyone who saw the initial incident or knows about the van being abandoned on the Dragonville Industrial Estate. It is particularly important that we speak to the passengers who were on the buses.”

The stabbing happened at about 5pm on Thursday.

Acting Det Insp Kirtley said bus passengers may have thought they were witnessing a road rage confrontation.

Anyone who can help is asked to call 0345-60-60-365 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555- 111. A 29-year-old man from Durham City was last night in police custody.