A pensioner who suffered serious knife injuries after an attacker slashed him and his wife in their Wolverhampton home was undergoing more surgery today.

Reginald Leedham, aged 77, was wounded in his ninth-floor flat in Merry Hill along with his 74-year-old wife Evelyn. The couple were rushed to New Cross Hospital with serious injuries to their hands following the attack last Thursday night. Mrs Leedham also sustained cuts to her throat, face and hand as well as a puncture wound to her chest.

Det Insp Darren Crutchley, of Bilston Street CID, said today that both victims were doing well.

“Mr Leedham is going back into surgery for further work to his hand,” he said.

“Mrs Leedham is being monitored, and her injuries are healing quite nicely.

“The response from the community has been extremely positive.

“Everybody knows each other, and people have been very supportive.”

Don Jervis, 79, who for 21 years has lived in St Joseph’s Court, where the attack took place, said today that the Leedhams were a “lovely couple”.

He said Mrs Leedham, who is more commonly known as Joyce, was brought up on her cousin’s farm in Codsall where she worked as a farm hand.

He added that Mr Leedham had worked at the Boulton Paul aerospace factory in Wolverhampton.

“When they first came here, I showed them around, and they’ve been friends ever since,” he said.

“Joyce came and hung some curtains for me – she’s a very friendly woman.”

Yesterday, a neighbour of the couple, David Brown, appeared in court charged with their attempted murder.

The 38-year-old, who lives in the same block, off Chadwick Close, was remanded in custody to appear before Wolverhampton Crown Court on March 2.

Residents in the close-knit community have been left shocked by the attack, and prayers were said for the Leedhams at St Joseph’s Church, opposite the flats, on Sunday.

Sheila Williamson, 70, who also lives on the first floor of the same block of flats, said: “They are an absolutely fantastic couple.

“Everyone knows them to say hello to in the flats. It’s so sad something like this should happen to them.”