A man who was mugged, stabbed through the arm and left bleeding in the street was not interviewed by police until four days later.

Chris Humphries, 50, fears the two men who pinned him down and plunged a knife into his forearm will never be caught because the investigation was bungled.

So much time had elapsed between his terrible ordeal in Stapleton Road, Easton, and the start of the inquiry that it was too late for scene-of-crime officers to look for clues.

And detectives could not get DNA evidence from the 50-year-old's clothes or body, because there was so much blood on what he was wearing it had to be destroyed.

Mr Humphries, of Mount Crescent, Winterbourne, says officers have told him they have no leads.

The father-of-two was walking along Stapleton Road at about 4am on July 19, after a night out, when he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head.

Two men pounced on him by the junction of Easton Way, armed with knives.

Mr Humphries said: "They used a knife to cut out my back pocket and steal my wallet. One of them held onto my legs and they tried to stab me in the stomach.

"I put my arm up to protect myself and the knife went straight through my arm.

"There was blood gushing out everywhere. My clothes and shoes were completely covered in blood.

"I passed out in the road, slumped on some bollards, and a taxi driver who saw me called an ambulance."

Divorced Mr Humphries lost his wallet, which contained pictures of his two children, along with cash and bank cards.

He had to have 30 stitches in his right arm but has not yet regained the full use of his hand and wrist because several tendons were severed in the attack.

He added: "I spoke to two CID officers at the hospital and they said someone would be in touch as soon as possible. But it wasn't until July 23 – four days later – that someone came to see me.

"It's absolutely ridiculous. They can't do anything but apologise now, but it's too late.

"They didn't block the road off or do scene of crime. They said they couldn't find anything on CCTV. By the time they came to see me it was too late to do anything."

Avon and Somerset police spokesman Steve Game said: "This incident was originally reported to police in the early hours of the 19th July, 2009 and officers spoke briefly with Mr Humphries at the hospital before he underwent surgery.

"We always endeavour to investigate allegations of crime as expeditiously as possible but on this occasion he was not contacted by the investigating officer until a couple of days later and we did apologise for not seeing him earlier.

"We apologise again for any inconvenience caused and of course if Mr Humphries wishes to discuss his concerns further, then I would encourage him to contact us directly by phone or in person at the police station."

Since July, and after the mugging, the Safer Bristol Partnership has installed five CCTV cameras along Stapleton Road, to add to the one that was already in place.

Mr Humphries said one of the suspects looked Rastafarian and the other looked West Indian, with short hair. Anyone with information on the crime should call police on 0845 4567000, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.