www.news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1421632003

Stabbed man found frozen to pavement

JENNY MORRISON

A MAN was last night fighting for his life after being found frozen to a pavement with a stab wound to his stomach.

The 22-year-old, who has not been named, was found lying in a pool of blood after an attack in Livingston, West Lothian.

A local resident who spotted the injured man in an alley off Durward Rise immediately went to his aid and attempted to roll him over to assess his wounds.

But he told emergency services that he was unable to move the man who appeared to be frozen to the pavement.

When police and paramedics arrived at the scene they found the man with a deep stab wound to his abdomen.

He was discovered shortly after 3am yesterday, when temperatures dipped as low as -6C.

It is not known how long the man may have been lying there, but residents later told police they had heard raised voices at about 11pm on Sunday.

The victim was taken to St John’s Hospital, in Livingston, where doctors treated him for his wound and severe hypothermia. Last night, he was said to be in a critical condition in intensive care.

Yesterday, as detectives said they were following a definite line of inquiry, they appealed for anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious to contact police.

It is believed the man had been at a party in the Dedridge area shortly before he was stabbed.

A police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm a 22-year-old man is in hospital in a critical condition after sustaining a stab wound to his stomach.

"He was discovered on what was a very cold night and it appears he was actually frozen to the pavement."

An ambulance service source said: "We received a call about a man with what appeared to be a stab wound. It seems the man could have been lying there for some considerable time when we arrived."

Yesterday, residents living in Durward Rise said they were shocked by the news. One woman, who asked not to be named, said:

This is normally a quiet street, nothing like this has ever happened before."

There's a chance that the cold will have saved his life, provided he recovers.

Yup...  Or... open wound, blood flowing... would die of blood loss, but blood freezes to pavment and creates a "dam" to stop further blood.... (just a reach)...

It'll be one of those funny surival (hopefully) stories that the TV might want...

That's cold, man.