[Omah]

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk...ail/story.html

A FARMER is seriously ill in hospital after being stabbed, allegedly up to five times, in a country lane.

Father-of-three Walter Keeling, aged 62, is being treated at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire

Police said the injuries were serious but not life threatening after the incident at Cheadle Road, Alton, at around 2.30pm on Tuesday.

It is understood he underwent an operation on his wounds yesterday.

A man has been arrested in connection with the incident and was last night in police custody.

Forensic experts were yesterday searching an isolated home between the Peakstones Inn and Alton village for evidence.

Villagers claimed the stabbing was the climax to a long-running dispute with Mr Keeling, who has been a farmer in Alton all his life.

Parish council chairman Fred Eyre owns a neighbouring smallholding to Mr Keeling and said the village was in shock.

He said: "I saw the police and the air ambulance and I thought there must have been a car accident.

"I was shocked to hear there had been a stabbing.

"Everyone is in shock. It is the sort of thing you expect in a big city, but not in a small village like ours.

"I spoke to Mr Keeling's wife this morning and she is obviously very upset.

"He has always been a very good neighbour to me and has always been ready to help if I needed it.

"We have always got on really well and I have known him all my life.

"I do not know what has happened, it has all been a bit of a shock.

"The police were there all Tuesday night and the Cheadle to Alton Road was closed from about 2.30pm to 8pm."

Alton district councillor Arthur Forrester said: "Mr Keeling is well-known within the farming community and is well-respected in the village."

A villager, who declined to be named, said: "I went past the house at about 7pm on the Tuesday night and there was a lot of police activity.

"When I went past again yesterday morning police had sealed off the house with incident tape and it looked as though forensics officers were inside the property."

Mr Keeling, of The Wuthering, Cheadle Road, Alton, was airlifted to hospital by air ambulance following the stabbing.

A police spokesman said: "The injured party received serious injuries and is still being treated in hospital. A man remains in custody."

Nowhere's safe .....