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<\/p>\nA RETIRED plastic surgeon was fighting for life last night after a raider stabbed him in his \u00a3800,000 home.<\/p>\n
Locally-named Graeme Perks, 65, was attacked during a "break-in-gone-wrong" while his family were upstairs in their imposing former vicarage.<\/p>\n
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The dad-of-four is understood to have confronted the intruder after hearing the sound of glass breaking and was stabbed in the chest and stomach at 4.15am today.<\/p>\n
He was rushed to hospital where he was being treated in intensive care. Medics tonight described his condition as \u201cserious but stable\u201d.<\/p>\n
A 55-year-old man was later arrested in connection with the stabbing in leafy Halam, Notts.<\/p>\n
Neighbour and village church warden, Glenys Herbert, 80, said Graeme and his wife Beverley were \u201cjust lovely people\u201d.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cThey are part of the church community and join in with everything in the village and open their garden to the public every year for the National Garden Scheme.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeverley is a very keen gardener, and Graeme has been semi-retired for about a year, I think. They've lived in the house for about 30 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
"The whole thing is just appalling. You would never in a million years expect something like this to happen here. I can\u2019t think of anything similar in recent times.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole village just feels violated. We are all completely shocked. The phones haven\u2019t stopped ringing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have four children, two of whom are involved in the medical profession in London, I believe, and one who is travelling. The other one lives with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd they have just got a new cocker spaniel dog they are thrilled to bits about.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a very neighbourly village where everybody keeps an eye out for everyone else. We are all just praying that Graeme pulls through.<\/p>\n
\u201cLots of prayers have been said this morning. We just hope he recovers as swiftly as possible from such a devastating incident.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cGraeme and Beverley have huge french doors at the back of the house, so I don\u2019t know if that is how the intruder gained entry?<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I just can\u2019t believe it – does everybody carry a knife these days?\u201d<\/p>\n
Another neighbour, 50-year-old Graham Podmore, said: \u201cYou couldn\u2019t wish to meet a nicer, more mellow, guy than Graeme.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he\u2019s brilliant at what he does – he has been a leading surgeon in his field for many years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t realise anything had happened until I read the news reports. We are all kind of cocooned in our houses at the moment with lockdown.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it is a total surprise – this is a lovely village, and this kind of thing just doesn\u2019t happen here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Perks\u2019 home was cordoned off after the incident. A police officer stood guard outside in while white-suited forensics officers entered and left.<\/p>\n
Det Insp Gayle Hart said: "This is a horrific incident which has left a man fighting for his life and his family who were upstairs at the time are extremely shocked and upset by the ordeal.<\/p>\n
"Detectives are working hard to establish the circumstances and progress the investigation as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n
"We're continuing to make enquiries and are determined to bring those responsible to justice, and we would reassure the public that reports such as this are taken extremely seriously."<\/p>\n
Anyone with information can call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 44 of 14 January 2021, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.<\/p>\n