VIDEO: Stabbed Castleford care home worker, 67, feared for her life in attack

Grandmother-of-six Christine Pygott, 67, was working at the Beeches care home, in Castleford, when a man burst into the kitchen at around 6.30am on Saturday.

Mrs Pygott said she was making breakfast for the residents when she heard a noise at the back door.

When she opened it she was confronted by a man who forced his way in to the Ferrybridge Road care home.

He pushed her to ground and went to punch her before six other care home staff rushed to help her.

The intruder kicked Mrs Pygott while she was on the ground and she shouted to other workers at the home to grab hold of him.

Mrs Pygott said: “He lunged down at me. I put my arm up and it wasn’t until I moved my arm and he turned to flee out of the door I saw the blade- I just screamed ‘he’s stabbed me, he’s stabbed me.’”

She was rushed to hospital and underwent an exploratory operation to assess the damage to her stab wound.

Mrs Pygott has worked at the home for 19 years.

She said: “He is a coward. It’s bad enough when they do it to other people but a nursing home for old people?”

“I have no idea why the man was there. He never spoke a word throughout - even when the other girls came in.”

Mrs Pygott said she hopes to return to work as soon as possible.

She said: “If it wasn’t for the other girls being there I would have been there on my own and I think he would have killed me.”

Detectives said the attack at The Beeches was being linked to another incident at the Breadalbane Nursing Home, on Park Avenue, about 20 minues earlier.

A member of staff confronted two men at the property who made excuses before leaving the area.

Det Supt Nick Wallen, of the Protective Services (Crime) Division, said: “Due to both properties being care homes and their vicinity to one another, we are linking these incidents.

“It is particularly concerning that these men appear to be targeting the homes of elderly and vulnerable people and their motives for doing this are currently unclear.

“We are treating these incidents extremely seriously.

“We have put on additional patrols in the area and are working tirelessly to identify anyone involved in this.

“Our officers have been making other residential homes in the area aware of these incidents and we would ask people to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to us.

“Anyone who believes they have seen these suspects or who has any information about their identities is asked to call Wakefield District CID on 101 or independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

“In an emergency situation please call 999.”