(Image: North Yorkshire Police)
Police and ambulance staff worked together to stop a knifeman who turned a tourist's holiday in York into a "horrific" nightmare.
At 5.16am, an American visitor was preparing to leave the city for London and was having a smoke outside his hotel when Matthew McPherson attacked him from behind and stabbed him in the stomach.
The 26-year-old attacker threw a knife on the road, told a nearby ambulance crew dealing with another matter that someone had been stabbed, picked up the knife and rode off on his bike.
The paramedics went to the tourist’s aid and contacted police, telling them the suspect was on a bicycle.
Firearms officers, a police dog handler and other officers as well as CCTV operators scoured the area looking for a man on a bike matching the suspect's description.
At 6.20am they spotted McPherson cycling along Foss Islands Road onto Barbican Road and stopped him at its junction with Wellington Street.
He said he was "that person” they were looking for and that he was cycling towards Fulford Road Police Station.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Alex Dorlin, of York CID, said: “This was a shocking and frightening attack on an innocent member of the public bringing what was an enjoyable holiday in one of our most beautiful places, to a horrific end.
“Thankfully he survived his injuries and has since returned home to the USA. I would like to thank him for his support with the investigation during what must have been an extremely traumatic time for him.
“My thanks also go to the witnesses who provided information to support the investigation, and to the ambulance staff who not only had to provide urgent medical care to the victim and report the incident to the police, but also had to consider the potential danger still posed by the suspect who lingered at the scene.
“I hope Mr McPherson, who has been shown to be a serious risk to public safety, now gets the help he needs.”