POLICE have issued an image of a man they are hunting after an apprentice electrician was stabbed in the leg in an "unprovoked" attack.

The 19-year-old was stabbed in his right thigh with a kitchen knife while he was walking to work on a footpath near the railway bridge, in Union Road, Tonge Moor, at about 7.20am on March 26.

The teenager has since been discharged from hospital, and police are now stepping up the hunt for his attacker.

The man is described as being white, about 5ft 9in, aged about 25, of a slim build and with dark ginger hair and a black beard, which is ginger at the tips.

He is also described as having a pale complexion, and wearing a black hooded top and dark blue jeans.

He fled the scene while holding the knife.

Detective Constable Victoria Henderson said: "Quite why this man stabbed the victim we don't know. There appears to be no motive for what happened. The offender made comments which might suggest mistaken identity but at this stage we are treating this as a totally unprovoked attack.

"As you can imagine, the victim is very shaken as a result of his ordeal and the level of violence he was subjected to. Thankfully his injuries were not more severe.

"The incident took place on a footpath which many people use to commute to work, so there may be a lot of potential witnesses we need to speak to who could have vital information."

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 5761 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.