A TEENAGER remains seriously ill in hospital after a horror machete attack left him possibly scarred for life.

The family of 18-year-old Rizwan Awan say he was an innocent victim caught up in gang warfare on the streets of Huddersfield.

And they have revealed he suffered nine wounds from the terrifying weapon after his car was rammed by three others on Manchester Road in Longroyd Bridge.

His aunt, Shahida Awan, said: “How on earth can somebody do something so brutal to an innocent child like this?

“It does seem like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

She said he was ‘cut like a piece of cake’.

THE FAMILY of a student whose face was slashed from ‘side to side’ in a horror attack fear he will be scarred for life.

They say that 18-year-old Rizwan Awan was ‘cut like a piece of cake’ during a machete attack in Huddersfield.

Rizwan was slashed nine times and left on a life support machine following a suspicious road crash in Longroyd Bridge.

The business student was taking a friend to work when he was dragged into a disagreement between two rival gangs.

His car was cornered by three others and he was slashed repeatedly in the face and arms with the machete.

His worried family fear he will be scarred for life.

His aunt, Shahida Awan, said: “Rizwan was just trying to help a friend. He was being a good Samaritan.

“He didn’t know there was something going on between these men, but later realised that he was being chased.

“They cut across his face. It was slashed from one side and as he tried to protect his face with his arms they got slashed too.

“It is as if they cut him like a piece of cake. There are nine big wounds, some half an inch deep.

“It is so sad to see.”

His friend and passenger, an 18-year-old called Umar, also received knife injuries. He remains in a high dependency unit at Leeds General Infirmary.

A third man from Paddock was also treated at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary for minor stab wounds.

Rizwan was taken to LGI where surgeons operated on him for six hours.

He is now out of intensive care, but requires constant medical attention.

He has been unable to open his eyes or tell his family what happened.

Mrs Awan added: “How on earth can somebody do something so brutal to an innocent child like this?

“It does seem like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Rizwan and his friend, Umar, are just two innocent boys caught up in something awful.”

Rizwan, from Crosland Moor, is a former pupil of Honley High School.

He is now studying business at Bradford College and was due to take exams in the coming weeks.

His aunt is a former councillor for Crosland Moor and Netherton. She was the first female Asian councillor in the borough when she was elected in 2004.

Mrs Awan added: “When I was a councillor I worked hard to try and stop this. Now it is happening to my own family.

“We want people to come forward and tell the police everything they know about this.

“It was an horrendous attack on an innocent child and we want to find the people who did this.”

Members of Rizwan’s family, including his two brothers and one sister, have been at his bedside since the attack.

The incident happened at 10.40pm on Sunday, May 18, on Manchester Road at Longroyd Bridge.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said they have arrested a 21-year-old Huddersfield man on suspicion of three counts of grievous bodily harm.

He has been released on bail pending further enquiries.

They are continuing to appeal for witnesses and want to speak to the drivers and passengers of the three other cars in connection with the attack.

It is believed some of the men may be from Walsall or Birmingham.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.