A HASLINGDEN mum allegedly tried to kill her partner by stabbing him in the neck, a court has heard.

Injured James Webster made a 999 call for help with the blade embedded three inches deep in his neck.

And a Preston Crown Court jury was told the knife had managed to miss a major blood vessel by about five millimetres.

Jane Halstead, 34, of Warburton Buildings, Haslingden, is accused of attempted murder and an alternative charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. She denies both charges.

Mr Webster, a civil engineer, was 28 at the time of the incident last November.

He had begun a relationship with mum-of-three Halstead in 2001 and eventually he began living with her.

Peter Horgan, prosecuting, said that Mr Webster described the relationship as volatile, with frequent arguments and separations.

On Friday, November 12, last year Mr Webster had been working in Liverpool. When he got back, Halstead demanded money to pay various bills.

He decided he wasn't going to give her anything and that he would go out with friends.

The defendant later dropped him off at a pub in Haslingden. When he got home Halstead allegedly accused Webster of smelling of perfume and was "ranting" at him.

He walked out and in the early hours was seen buying items at a service station. A few minutes later Halstead appeared on the same forecourt.

She bought a mobile phone from a taxi driver and called police to make a complaint about Mr Webster's behaviour.

The prosecution said the stabbing incident occurred in the early hours close to a disused railway track

Walker saw Halstead's red Mercedes come towards him and mount the pavement. He jumped out of the way and ran on to the tracks to escape, thinking she would not follow him.

He then felt what he thought was a heavy slap to the side of his neck.

Mr Horgan said: "The handle of the knife was sticking out. Mr Webster thought he was going to die.

"He felt weak and was getting weaker. He realised he was in great danger, given that he was on a disused railway track and if he collapsed no one would know where he was."

When Halstead was interviewed by police she accused him of being violent towards her after having drink.

She said she had tried to calm him down after pulling up alongside him in her car. He seemed to calm down but was then pushing her and calling her names.

She said she saw he had a knife in his hands and so tried to grab it. She went on to lash out, not knowing that the knife had gone into his neck.

(Proceeding)