The housemate of Kayman Hansell, 19, said he had found his friend at the end of their street, bleeding, minutes after the alleged attack and had driven him to hospital for help.

“There was blood all over the car — his clothes were drenched in blood,” Kenneth Crowther, 23, said.

“I moved to Culcairn to get away from the drama and, Kayman, he wanted to move away from the drama.

“You’d think Culcairn was a small, country town, that it wouldn’t happen here.”

Albury police Inspector David Cottee said Mr Hansell had gone to get cigarettes from the Culcairn Hotel about 9pm before, he told police, two men attacked him in the Melville Street park.

Mr Hansell told investigators he punched one man before the other stabbed him in the abdomen and rifled his pockets. The men then ran off.

Mr Hansell rang Mr Crowther’s brother after he was stabbed and they had come to his aid.

Insp Cottee said Mr Hansell had been taken to Albury hospital from Culcairn with a two-centimetre-deep wound.

“It’s a very unusual event for Culcairn,” he said. “We haven’t had anything like it in the past.”

Police found a knife in the park yesterday and are still investigating.

Mr Crowther said he and Mr Hansell were working at Culcairn’s Geelong Leather tannery since moving from Campbelltown, Sydney, to be near Mr Crowther’s family who live in the town.

Mr Hansell dated Mr Crowther’s younger sister and even when the couple broke up, the men remained friends.

“I’ve always classified him as my best friend, as my brother,” Mr Crowther said.

“He’s a quiet bloke and sticks to himself.”

Mr Crowther said his friend had been checked in theatre yesterday to find whether an organ had been pierced.

Mr Crowther said he hoped anyone with information would phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Albury police on (02) 6023 9299.