THE victim of a terrifying carjacking ordeal in Royton has told how the wallet in his pocket saved his life when he was stabbed in leg three times.

Tony Mahon, aged 54, was ambushed by two thugs on the Lidl car park at Croft Head wielding a knife with a 12-inch blade.

They forced him out of the car and demanded his keys, but before he could hand them over one of the men struck him three times with the knife.

Luckily, the blade hit the wallet in his pocket and Tony, a law courts custody officer in Greater Manchester, only suffered a minor cut to his leg and did not even go to hospital.

Tony was on his way home nearby from work and had called in to buy his tea from a fish and chip shop opposite Lidl.

Seconds after he got back into his car, the attackers pounced.

“The door flew open and they were screaming at me to get out of the car,” Tony said. “I got out, but before I could give them the keys he stabbed me with this massive knife.

“When he realised he hadn’t done much to hurt me with the first blow, he stabbed me again twice.

“Thankfully, the leather wallet and the wrist strap I used at work which were in the pocket deflected the blows, and I’m OK.”

Police arrived at the scene quickly and force helicopter was also scrambled in a bid to find the men who drove off in his car.

Tony only bought the high-spec Kia Picanto GT car for £15,000 12 months ago.

Although he is “gutted” by the loss of his beloved car, Tony has decided to remain positive about his experience and his feelings towards his attackers.

He said: “I’ve decided that no matter what, my life is better than theirs. I am happier than they will ever be.

“If they don’t get caught for this, they’re not going to go straight and they will end up going to prison for something else.

“I will always be better than them.”