A TAXI driver was stabbed in the face after being chased by a gang of eight youths armed with "knives, axes and samurai swords".

Sharaz Khan, of Springfield Street in Bolton, was stabbed in the cheek on Monday night while working in Little Hulton.

The 40-year-old private hire driver says he arrived in Kenyon Way to collect a group of people who had booked a taxi at around 10pm.

Mr Khan, a Pal Cars driver, says he rolled the window down but was met with a terrifying scene as a gang of around eight people aged 13 to 25 appeared outside of his car window.

The father-of-three said: "I put the window down and someone held up a knife and pointed it at my face.

"He started asking me for money."

Mr Khan says he then ran from his car to seek safety from the potential robbery.

He ran to nightlife venue Top Club, adjacent to Manchester Road West, but was followed by the group.

He said: "I ran away, but they caught up and that is when I was stabbed.

"A man started fighting me and put the knife in my face. My face has six or seven stitches in it now."

Mr Khan said another driver in the area came to help him after realising he was in trouble.

The other driver says that he saw the gang armed with a host of weapons.

The second driver said: "I saw they were holding knives axes samurai swords and sticks clearly in their hands.

"When people came out from Top Club they all ran away."

The second driver said the gang caught him with a weapon, cutting him on the leg.

The Bolton News understands that the police are now investigating the incident.

A North West Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We attended an incident on Manchester Road West after we were called at 10.29pm.

"We sent a rapid response vehicle and an ambulance to the scene."

"It is now a police incident."

Greater Manchester Police have been contacted for comment.