A 27-YEAR-OLD woman was in a critical condition in hospital last night following a frenzied knife attack in Dublin.

The unprovoked attack happened at Lourdes Road in Rialto at around 3am yesterday morning.

It is understood the woman had been out socialising and was returning home when she became a victim of the attacker who stabbed her a number of times.

The woman, who works as a researcher with Sean Moncrieff 's afternoon radio show on the Newstalk radio station, was fighting for her life in St James's Hospital last night after undergoing seven hours in surgery. Elaine Geraghty, chief executive of Newstalk, said, "The singular concern everyone at Newstalk has is the welfare of our employee and our thoughts are with her family who are at her hospital bedside."

Investigating detectives are still trying to identify a motive and have appealed for anyone with any information to come forward, especially anyone who was in the area of Ave Marie Road and Lourdes Road in Rialto around the time of the attack. Witnesses can contact Kevin Street garda station on 016669400.

Woman recovers from assault

A 25-YEAR-OLD woman has had part of her ear bitten off after being assaulted by a gang of up to nine people in west Belfast in the early hours of Saturday morning. The attack happened at about 5.30am in the Altnamona area.

The woman was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment. The PSNI is appealing for anyone with information to contact them.

Man dies after being hit by lorry

A 39-YEAR-OLD pedestrian was killed when he stumbled and fell in front of a lorry on Dorset Street, Dublin, on Friday night.

The incident took place at about 10.40pm at the junction of Lower Dorset St and Upper Gardiner St.

The man was taken to the Mater Hospital where he died from his injuries. A post mortem examination took place yesterday.