A FATHER-of-two is fighting for his life after being seriously assaulted in a Blackburn flat.

Thomas Hill, 32, was found unconscious and covered in blood by his aunt, Helen Blunton, in a bedroom of the property in Fielding Crescent, just before 9am yesterday.

Mr Hill lives at Mrs Blunton’s house opposite the flat where he was found, and had been socialising with friends on Monday night.

Cousin Roxanne Blunton, 25, said: “He was across the road at a friend’s house and my mum went over to wake him up to get him to go and sign on.

“She said she found him lying unconscious on the floor, but as he has a history of seizures, she thought that’s what had happened.

“Then she realised his face was covered in blood, and ran to a neighbour for help, knowing something worse had gone on.”

Emergency services arrived in Fielding Crescent at about 9am and police quickly sealed off a 20-metre section of road outside the house where Mr Hill was found. Yesterday afternoon, crime scene investigators could be seen entering the ground-floor flat.

Mr Hill, who has a son and a daughter who live in Glasgow, has been described as ‘having a heart of gold’ by Miss Blunton.

She added: “He’s helped me out loads, he’d do anything for anyone, so it’s so sad this has happened.

“It’s not looking good. He’s had to be resuscitated three or four times and they’ve said he’s got bleeding on the brain that he needs an operation for.

“His mum and dad and sister all live in Glasgow and have come down to be at his bedside.”

Detective Chief Inspector Dean Holden said: “A 32-year-old man was found on Tuesday morning unconscious, at a property in Fielding Crescent with serious head injuries. We believe he has been seriously assaulted.

“He was first taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for treatment, then transferred to the Royal Preston Hospital.”

Two men aged 42 and 26-years-old have been arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding.