A SECURITY guard at a York hospital told today how his lifesaving body armour helped him survive a vicious knife attack.

Paul Poruba, 30, was stabbed after he confronted four drunken men in the car park at Bootham Park Hospital yesterday morning.

The savage attack left deep gashes on the stab-proof vest which Mr Poruba, who works for Mayfair Security, was wearing beneath his jumper.

He said today: "If I didn't have my vest, the knife would have gone all the way through. It saved my life."

Mr Poruba was attacked at 2.05am in Bridge Lane as he escorted the men from the site towards Clarence Street. He had found them carrying sticks and wandering around the hospital's car park.

He said: "I asked them to leave the hospital site, and they gave me the usual abusive language, but they were willing to leave. I was escorting them off the premises, and then one of them just turned around with the knife in his hand and slashed me across the chest. I was just following them, but I guess I did not have a safe distance between me and them. There were only about two steps between us.

"Fortunately the hit was taken by the stab proof vest. I did not have time to do anything because I just saw the blade going through the air. I was in shock. Then they just ran away."

Mr Poruba, who is from Riccall, near Selby, said the weapon appeared to be a pocket knife. He has worked for Mayfair Security for eight months and served in the US Marines for five years, but said the attack had shaken him.

"I have been thinking a lot about it because we do not really carry the vests all the time," he said. "It depends on the guard if he wants to or not. I always carry one on the night shift.

Mr Poruba paid tribute to his workmates and bosses at Mayfair Security for helping him to cope with the ordeal.

He said: "My colleagues have given me a lot of support and I get all the support I need from the company."

Detective Constable Jo Wragg, who is investigating the attack, said: "Had he not been wearing his stab vest, we could have been looking at something far more serious.

"Because we have got somebody walking around York with a knife and they are prepared to use it, we are treating it very seriously. The security guard is employed to ensure the safety and security of the people at the hospital and was going about his ordinary day's work."

A hospital spokesman said: "We are obviously shocked and concerned by what has happened and it is fortunate the security officer was not injured, apparently thanks to his protective clothing."

No one from Mayfair Security was available for comment.

Police are appealing for information about the suspect, who is described as about 5ft 9in tall, of a proportionate build, and aged between 16 and 21.

He had dark hair which was long on the top but cropped at the sides and at the back. He was clean shaven, and was wearing light blue jeans and a white T-shirt, possibly with a Reebok logo.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to phone Det Con Wragg on 01904 669455.

Updated: 15:35 Monday, November 28, 2005