Elizabeth Hurley’s model nephew is recovering at her £6million country mansion after he was chased down by a gang and stabbed.
Miles Hurley, 21, was taken to his aunt’s home in Herefordshire after being released from hospital following the vicious attack in Wandsworth, South West London.
Mr Hurley and a friend were both knifed last Thursday after they had overtaken a car minutes earlier, according to a source close to the police investigation.
Elizabeth Hurley said her nephew Miles (pictured together) was set upon by four ‘animals’
Mr Hurley (pictured with his aunt) has now been released from hospital following the attack
Mr Hurley and his friend fled and hid behind a van at the scene (pictured) while waiting for the emergency services to arrive in Wandsworth, South West London
Miss Hurley said her nephew, who was treated at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, lost more than four pints of blood, and a blade very nearly severed his spine.
A gang of at least four men chased Mr Hurley, a model for Dolce & Gabbana, and his friend in their car until they pulled over.
When the pair got out of their vehicle, they were set upon by the men, who repeatedly stabbed them.
Over the weekend Miss Hurley, 52, spoke about the ‘brutal attack’ and said it had been an ‘appalling time’ for their family. Mr Hurley is now recovering at her home, reported The Sun.
Mr Hurley and his friend fled and hid behind a van while waiting for the emergency services to arrive after the horrific incident on Thursday at 9pm.
Miss Hurley is said to be close to Miles, the son of her sister Kate Curran, 54. The actress rushed back from a promotional tour in the US to be by his bedside.
Mr Hurley’s mother is Miss Hurley’s older sister, Kate Curran, 54, and the aunt is close to him
Miss Hurley was pictured on Friday morning at about 9am arriving at London Heathrow Airport
Last night she wrote on Twitter: ‘My 21-year-old nephew was repeatedly stabbed in a brutal attack in London. The police and hospital are being fantastic. Thank you for all your messages. It is an appalling time for him and our family.’
She added: ‘He lost more than four pints of blood. A policeman was patrolling close by and administered first aid until the ambulance arrived.
‘The deepest wound just missed severing his spine. By some miracle, no vital organs were damaged. We are praying that these animals are caught before they maim, or even kill, someone else. These are sad days.’
The actress also ‘liked’ a tweet calling on London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Home Secretary Amber Rudd to do more to tackle knife crime.
In the past two months there have been 16 fatal knife attacks in London, many of them believed to be connected to gangs.
Eighty people were stabbed to death in the capital last year and knife crime is up 23 per cent since 2012.
Mr Hurley (right) is pictured with his cousin Damian, the son of Miss Hurley
Miss Hurley appealed on Twitter for help in catching the thug who stabbed her nephew
It has been rising as the use of stop-and-search has been declining. More than 80,000 people were stopped and searched in London ten years ago, but that figure fell to fewer than 20,000 in 2016-17.
A source close to the investigation said: ‘We believe the two groups of men did not know each other before this incident. It was a road rage incident, and nothing to do with drugs or gangs.’
The victims have given police information about their attackers, but have so far not given formal statements.
Another source said: ‘Miles’s family feared the worst. Fortunately, it seems the knife missed his vital organs.’
A 70-year-old resident, who did not want to be named, said: ‘We saw one man being taken away on a stretcher into an ambulance.
‘I saw another man, who had his shirt off, and a white bandage around his waist. Then I saw them putting a gas mask on him and he was taken into an ambulance as well.’
Mr Hurley at the Dolce & Gabbana Unexpected Show at Milan Men’s Fashion Week in January
Mr Hurley began modelling at the age of 13 when a scout spotted him working on a stall in London’s Camden Market and signed him to Next Model Management.
The model took Miss Hurley’s surname after launching his career. On the day of the attack he had paid tribute to her in a post celebrating International Women’s Day, writing: ‘Love and appreciation for all the strong, happy and independent women around me.’
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘Officers attended with the London Ambulance Service. A 21-year-old man was discovered with stab wounds to his back.
‘Another man, also believed to be aged 21, was also found suffering from stab wounds.
‘They are believed to have been attacked by a group of males who got out of a vehicle and assaulted them before fleeing the scene.
‘A crime scene was put in place. There have been no arrests.’