A homeowner was stabbed in the back after confronting burglars who were sneaking around his Birmingham home.

The victim was woken and went to investigate noises in the ground floor of his house in Station Road, Kings Heath, when he came face-to-face with two men. Police said he was stabbed as he grappled with one of the offenders.

The weapon narrowly missed his kidney.

The wounded man, who has not yet been named, raised the alarm after the burglars panicked and fled after attacking him early yesterday.

He was yesterday still recovering in hospital. Officers spent yesterday afternoon interviewing him about his ordeal.

It is thought the burglars may have sneaked into the property through an unlocked door or window at about 3am and may have been after the keys to the man’s car parked outside.

They escaped with a Blackberry phone and a set of keys.

The two burglars were thought to have run off towards Kings Heath High Street.

Detectives were today continuing to scour CCTV footage from security cameras on the High Street.

Witnesses or anyone with information can contact police at Kings Heath on 0845 113 5000.