A BARBER fears for the life of his brother after he was attacked for the second time in three months in Trowbridge town centre on Sunday afternoon.

Ali Ayoub who works at Trio Barbers in The Shires told the Wiltshire Times that his brother, 27-year-old Saleem Ayoub was slashed in the face with a knife after supposedly getting into a fight.

He has not long been out of hospital after he was left in a critical condition after being stabbed twice in Tesco car park in February.

His brother says drug-related knife crime is a serious problem.

He said: “My brother has had an operation on his face and he is going to be okay. I haven’t been to see him in hospital yet. I have had to distance myself from him because of his drug problem, I have a young son to look after.

“My family are coping but we weren’t surprised this has happened again because of his life style.

“I do worry this will keep happening or he will even end up dead if he doesn’t turn his life around. He had his own barbers with a flat above it but he lost that.

“I don’t think there is a need for anyone to carry knives on the streets to protect themselves, and knife crime is a serious problem. Young people carrying knives and gangs are getting out of hand.”

Police officers were called to the scene in Market Street at 3.30pm on Sunday where they arrested a 38-year-old man on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.

He was taken into custody and has since been released on conditional bail.

Mr Ayoub was taken to Southmead Hospital and was then transferred to Bristol Royal Infirmary where he underwent an operation on his face on Monday. He returned home on Tuesday.

A police spokesman said: “A local man was treated by paramedics at the scene for slash wounds to his face, he was then taken by ambulance to hospital where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries. Our enquiries are ongoing.”