A man has received emergency surgery for a severe hand injury after a 'bizarre' incident in Church last Friday (July 2).
The retired man was walking his dogs in the Steiner Lane area at between 6am and 6.30am when the incident took place.
Detective Sergeant Mark Gillibrand of Accrington CID said: "He came out of his friend's back yard into Steiner Lane and his attention was drawn to a male in the alleyway, standing around two yards away.
"He paid no real attention to him and started trying to usher the dogs back into the yard. Then he felt a blow to his hand. He looked down and realised he'd got a massive laceration and all the tendons were severed in his hand."
The man in the alleyway then ran off in the direction of Church Street.
It is unclear as yet exactly how the injuries were caused.
The retired man was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital and has since received emergency corrective surgery on his hand.
DS Gillibrand said: "There were no words or interaction between the two. It's quite a bizarre incident."
The man is described as a white male aged between 18 and 30, of slim build, wearing a black tracksuit with a white stripe down the side of the legs.
Police are appealing for anyone with any information about the incident to contact Accrington CID on 01254 353741 of Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
