Police close on knife attacker

Wellington police are confident they will find the attacker of a man who was repeatedly stabbed in the head and neck with a pocket knife.

The 23-year-old victim from Feilding was found bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds on Tory Street, in the central city, about 5.40am Thursday.

His condition was initially thought to be life threatening but he has since stabilised and been released from Wellington Hospital, Detective Sergeant Damian Murphy said.

The victim and a friend were visiting the capital from Feilding and had asked a woman for directions shortly before the attack, he said.

"There appears there was some sort of association between her and the offender because when they walked into Tory Street that female got into a heated exchange with the offender and a second female."

"That's when the offender has pulled out a knife," he said.

The victim ran but was chased by a group of men - one of whom tackled him and pinned him to the ground.

He was then stabbed repeatedly in the head and neck.

Mr Murphy said police had spoken to the victim and several witnesses.

"We've spoken to a number of people now, we'd still like to hear from other people who were in the area, particularly a couple of girls," he said.

The knifeman was described as Maori, aged about 25, shorter than 1.74m tall, with short hair and a "round, almost chubby" face.

He was clean shaven and may have had bucked teeth.

He was wearing a black cap backwards and possibly a hoodie.

"We're in the process of following up a number of lines of inquiry and we're hopeful that we'll be able to identify this individual," Mr Murphy said.

- NZPA