A MOTHER has spoken of her horror after her son was temporarily blinded when he was stabbed in the eye.
Adam Watson, 15, lost the sight in his right eye in the attack, as he walked home on Boxing Day in Marske, east Cleveland, from his cousin's party.
It displaced and scratched his eyeball, detached the retina and tore his eyelid, which needed stitches.
GCSE student Adam's vision has not returned properly. He is still in pain and is receiving treatment.
The apparently motiveless attack happened between 11.30am and midnight at the junction of Longbeck Road and Redcar Road.
Adam, who was alone at the time, remembers nothing about the incident.
Three women and a man in their late teens to early twenties found him in the street, unconscious and bleeding heavily.
Adam, who works as a pub kitchen assistant, said: "I have no idea who did it and I feel really annoyed with them. It ruined the Christmas holidays. I was in a wheelchair for a few days and it meant I couldn't go to work.
"I'm doing my GCSEs and it's really difficult and painful for me to read or look at a screen or blackboard."
His mother, Anne, said: "Nobody has the right to do this to my son. He's not aggressive and does not get into fights. It's really hard to come to terms with, because we don't know why these people did it. A mugging would be easier to understand.
"I've lived in Marske for 20 years and I've never heard of anything like this happening before."
PC Andrew Simpson said: "This was a vicious and seemingly random attack which came dangerously close to leaving this young man blind. Officers are anxious to trace and speak to the four good Samaritans who came Adam's aid as well as anyone else who was in the area at the time."
Anyone with information is asked to call (01642) 302626 or Crimestoppers on (0800) 555111.
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