A MOTHER pleaded in vain with a man to spare her daughter's life as he subjected his victim to a frenzied knife attack.

Call centre worker Nusrat Ali, 25, was stabbed in her front garden as she left home to go to work yesterday morning.

Neighbours in Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, told how they heard her screams and saw her mother and her sisters plead with the attacker.

Two passing building workers intervened and stopped the attack, and Miss Ali was taken to the nearby James Cook University Hospital with multiple stab wounds. She died shortly before noon.

Police were called to the house close to the town centre after reports of a fight and screaming.

Emergency services discovered Miss Ali with multiple stab wounds in the garden. A man was found unconscious in the house.

Police last night appealed for witnesses to come forward in a bid to help piece together what had happened.

A spokesman said: "This was an absolutely horrific attack carried out in broad daylight."

Neighbour Abdul Minhas said: "I was asleep, and the screams woke me. I thought the kids in the street were playing up.

"My wife got up and looked out of the bedroom window. She said the girl was lying in the garden and someone was trying to kill her."

Another neighbour, Jasbir Singh, said: "I have never heard screams like that in my life. When I came out the girl was lying on the floor with stab wounds.

"The attacker was in a frenzy and just kept stabbing while her mother and her sisters pleaded with him to stop."

Police were last night still at James Cook University Hospital where the unconscious man was in intensive care.

Detective Inspector Stan Drummond, of Cleveland Police, said: "Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident, but are keen to speak to people in the area, particularly those who knew Miss Ali.

"This incident happened as she was leaving home to go to work at a local call centre. It was witnessed by two builders who intervened and stopped the assault. It was only then they realised she had been stabbed."

The mother of one of the workers who went to help said: "She was a lovely girl and they are a lovely family."

It emerged last night that Miss Ali had worked for Middlesbrough Council for about four years as a part-time youth worker at the Aazad youth centre in Marton Road, Middlesbrough.

Iram Baig, 19, of Lothian Road, said she worked with Miss Ali at a call centre and had known her for ten years.

"My mum went to hospital with her this morning. I can't believe she has passed away," she said. "She was very happy all the time - she had a really bubbly personality."

* Anyone with information which can help the police should ring (01642) 303126.