A BLACKBURN man whose skull was shattered by two women with a meat cleaver still has nightmares over the horrific incident - five months on.

Fifty-six year-old Philip Preece is still recovering from the devastating attack, at his home in Whalley New Road, at the hands of Joanne McNally and Rhea Parker.

The pair, who were seeking money to buy the drug spice, were convicted of attempted murder, following a five-day trial at Preston Crown Court.

And now Philip, who remembers nothing of the protracted violence which left him hospitalised for five weeks, is trying to rebuild his life.

He told the Lancashire Telegraph: "I'm just trying to get back on my feet now but I still have nightmares and flashbacks."

His 18-year-old daughter, Kelly Shaw, has been a constant source of support and is now his carer.

Philip added: "She has been here every day, since it happened, looking after me. I don't know what I'd have done without her."

Even now the scars from the 14 wounds inflicted by McNally and Parker are visible across his scalp.

And the defensive injuries he suffered, while trying to ward off the repeated blows, mean he has no movement in one of the fingers on his right hand and will soon require plastic surgery.

Kelly said: "The worst thing was when he first woke up in hospital, after the attack.

"He didn't recognise me - and we've always been close - but he was just shouting and screaming. It was very hard, seeing him like that."

She was also in court to see the jury deliver their verdicts on McNally and Parker, on their second day of deliberations.

Kelly added: "Rhea started crying, when the jury came back, but Joanne just smiled."

She is continuing to help her father, who grew up in Shadsworth and attended Crosshill School, and is hoping to secure him a move away from Whalley New Road.

"There's just too many bad memories here now and it will help him to make a new start," she added.

"But we just need to get the sentencing hearing out of the way first."

His brother David, who went to get help after finding the doors wide open at the property, on the day, said: "I'm just surprised that he's still alive.

"He was in a really bad way, when it first happened, and we were all really worried about him. But at least we've got justice now."

Philip was left for dead by McNally, 40, and Parker, 23, who had been demanding money to fuel their drug habits.

CCTV footage captured them both arriving at the house and leaving a short time later. The meat cleaver used to inflict the injuries has never been found.

McNally and Parker, who each have violent offences on their criminal records, will be sentenced by trial judge Graham Knowles QC on February 22.