ARMED INTRUDER COULD HAVE KILLED; Couple attacked in their own home.

Byline: MARIE KIERANS

A COUPLE were lucky to be alive last night after a frenzied knifeman tried to burst into their home.

Elaine Wisdom, 44, screamed with terror as the intruder lunged at her with a carpet knife as she opened the front door at 7.30am.

And when her husband Mick, 45, ran to her aid he was stabbed three times.

Petrified Elaine managed to escape and ran upstairs to protect her beloved daughters Katie, nine, and seven-year-old Ellie.

Courageous neighbours who had heard the commotion in the cul-desac of Foxford, off Ballyowen Lane in Lucan, Dublin, then came to their rescue.

They allegedly pinned down a suspect until gardai arrived.

Last night gardai confirmed a man in his 20s was being questioned at Lucan Garda station.

Mick was last night recovering in Blanchardstown Hospital where he may need surgery on his arm.

Elaine's brother Shane Carroll told how his sister got up as normal to get the girls ready for school.

Shane said: "Elaine went to switch off the alarm in the hall and noticed a figure at the front door. She thought it was the milkman and opened the door.

"He just started lashing out at her with a knife as he attempted to get into the house. He grabbed Elaine by the hair and it was at this stage that Mick heard the commotion and came down the stairs. The man caught Mick with the knife and stabbed him three times.

"This man was an animal. Mick has a bad wound on his arm, across the chest and his hand.

"They think the nerves in his arm are badly damaged."

Shane added his sister and her husband would be dead if it was not for the selfless actions of Romanian and Filipino neighbours, such as Gheorgie Manci, who live across the road from the family.

The heroes were on their way to work when they heard the drama unfolding and managed to wrestle a suspect to the ground.

Shane added: "We want to thank them for their bravery. These neighbours were wonderful and really helped Elaine and Mick in their hour of need.

"We hate to think what might have happened had they not came to Mick and Elaine's assistance. Put it this way, Mick could be dead.

"The two girls were upstairs and as you can imagine they are extremely traumatised.

"We think it was a random attack, it just so happened that it was Elaine and Mick's home."

One neighbour said: "It's terrible to think that you are not even safe in your own home any more. This is a really quiet area."

CAPTION(S):

HORRIFIED Victim's brother Shane Carroll, attack scene in Lucan, Co Dublin, yesterday and hero neighbour Gheorgie ORDEAL Mick Wisdom, inset, was knifed and blood-stained table is taken away as evidence