A 16-year-old schoolboy received serious injuries last Tuesday when he was stabbed during a scuffle in Windmill Fields in Four Marks.

Matthew Spencer (16), who attends Perins School in Alresford, was stabbed in the shoulder after confronting a young boy brandishing what is believed to be a substantial kitchen knife.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, became agitated after a group of boys had congregated outside his house to see his older brother.

MatthewÕs mother Carol Spencer said: ÒThis group of lads was waiting outside the house for the older brother, which I think scared the child. He came running out of the house waving a knife around and being very aggressive with it.

ÒMatthew was nothing to do with the group of boys, he just came along afterwards. The group scattered and ran away, but Matthew, being responsible, didnÕt like the look of the situation and felt that he couldnÕt just run away.

ÒHe told the boy that he shouldnÕt be running around with a knife and suggested that he go back inside the house and calm down. He came upon a situation and tried to diffuse it.

ÒThe boy took exception to this and went for him. After being stabbed in the shoulder, Matthew took the knife away from the child and cycled home where his father called the police and took him to Basingstoke Hospital.

ÒMatthew needed four stitches in the wound. He said that he didnÕt quite realise what had happened at first, but when he saw the blood, he was quite shaken.

ÒThe nurses said that Matthew was very lucky. If the wound had been an inch to the left it could have connected with his jugular vein, and a couple of inches lower and the knife would have been in the heart and lung area.

ÒMatthew is trying to carry on as normal. He was a bit shaken up but heÕs not a big drama person so heÕs just getting on with it. He had an important exam the next day for his geography GCSE which he still sat. I think heÕs had only one afternoon off school as a result of the stabbing.

ÒWhat worried him the most was that we have spent the last two years preparing for a rugby tour in Italy next month. We are still not positive, but it looks as though he will probably still be able to go.Ó

Alton police remain anxious to trace any witnesses to the incident, and anyone with information should contact Pc Gamble at Alton Police on 0845 045 45 45, or call the Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.