A MAN was attacked on his doorstep by hammer-wielding robbers who slashed his neck with a knife.

Graham Billington, 49, was smashed on the head and left with a large gash on his neck after answering his front door to two thugs in the Coalclough area of Burnley late at night.

The pair of would-be robbers - who escaped with nothing - only fled the scene after they heard terrified Mr Billington, who lives alone, phoning a friend for help.

A councillor for the area described the attack as “terrible” and “deplorable”, while Mr Billington admitted: “I thought I was going to die”.

Meanwhile, police have refused to rule out that the attack, at around 10.45pm on Sunday, was targeted and have launched an appeal for witnesses.

Former council worker Mr Billington said: “I was watching TV when I heard a knock at the door.

“I asked who it was and they said Danny. I have got a friend called Danny so I opened the door but then there were two men stood there and they hit me over the head with a lump hammer.

“I fell back a bit and then they started shouting, ‘Give us your money’ and I said I didn’t have any.

“We were struggling in the hallway and I managed to get the hammer off one of them but then he stuck a knife in my throat.

“He said ‘Drop the hammer or I will kill you’. I pushed him away but then he slashed me again.”

Eventually, Mr Billington, who is currently unemployed and on benefits, ran into his living room and shut the door on the pair.

Then, as they were about to barge in, he noticed his mobile phone on the chair and called a friend from across the road.

As he arrived, the pair fled, leaving Mr Billington with huge gashes to his neck and bruising on his head.

He was treated and discharged from Burnley General Hospital late on Sunday night with staples to help heal the wounds.

However, the experience has left Mr Billington “frightened to death” and he has even moved a friend in since the terrifying attack.

He added: “I was in shock as soon as he hit me - I didn’t know what was going on.

“I just thought that if they got into the house they would kill me. I really thought I was going to die.

“They could have killed me with either the knife or the hammer and now I am worried even about leaving the house.”

Coun Charles Bullas, whose Coalclough with Deerplay ward includes Mr Billington’s street, condemned the attack as “deplorable”.

He added: “It is a terrible incident. It is frightening that people are going round here doing things like that.”

Det Con Neil Swindells, from Burnley CID, said detectives were keeping an “open mind” as to the motive for the “terrifying” incident.

One of the men is described as white, in his late 20s, around 6ft tall, stocky and was wearing a three-quarter length high-visibility yellow jacket with grey stripes and dark trousers. He had his face covered.

The other was white, medium build, around 5ft 7ins, aged 18 to 25 and had short, dark hair. He was wearing a dark jumper and dark trousers.

Anyone with information should contact Burnley CID on 01282 472144 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.