A man today told how his wife was robbed just yards from where a woman was knifed and left fighting for life.

A 29-year-woman, who was on her way home from her work in financial services in the City, was stabbed multiple times near her Dagenham home on Monday evening.

Police say that they believe the attack was carried out by a stranger and have stepped up patrols in the area.

Another woman was assaulted at almost exactly the same spot after getting off a bus on her way home from work in August, the Standard can reveal.

A father-of-two said his wife - who the Standard is not naming - was returning home from work on August 4 at 11.30pm when a man appeared in a hoodie and armed with a baseball bat. The man was white and more than 6ft with most of his face covered, he said.

He said: “It was nearly in the same place as this attack. He appeared from nowhere with a baseball bat and ordered her to hand over her bag which she did. Then she just ran for it, she feared for her life.

“When she got home she was in a terrible state so we called the police and I went out to find him, but there was nothing.

“The police then later recovered the bag but her purse and phone had been stolen. If she hadn’t run for it I don’t know what would have happened.

“I think it could the same guy who carried out this terrible attack on my neighbour. The police are going to re-interview us about the incident.”

A police source confirmed that detectives are looking at the case again to establish if there are any links.

They said: “There is no definite link but we are having another look. It’s the same area and women on their way home from work, there are similarities and we are revisiting it.”

It is understood police have CCTV footage of the victim in the latest incident getting off a bus and walking towards her home. It is understood that the first 999 call came in shortly after she had headed across the park which leads to her semi detached house. Her husband is keeping a vigil at her bedside.

One neighbour said: “She is an absolutely lovely woman. Her and her partner are always walking along arm in arm and are really loving. She is just such a lovely, smart woman.

“She works in the City... Her family visit regularly and she is just lovely to have around, you couldn’t get a nicer person. She is learning to drive and is a really positive person.”

A police spokesman said: “Police were called at 23:35hrs on Thursday, 4 August 2016 by a woman in her thirties who reported she had been robbed around 10 minutes before at Castle Green park, Goresbrook Road, Dagenham.

"The woman was confronted by a man armed with a baseball bat who told her to hand over her bag which she did.

"He then made sexual comments before she managed to run off.

"The suspect made off through the park. The woman was not injured in the incident. The matter was investigated. A suspect was not identified and no arrests were made.

“Detectives are keeping an open mind about the motive for the attack on 13 February and exploring all lines of enquiry but part of their work will be to consider if there have been any previous incidents in the area.

"It is too early to say if this incident on August 4 might be linked, enquiries continue.”

Meanwhile a terrified mother, who lives opposite the victim, told the Standard that she had refused to let her children use the secluded pathway that runs behind the estate of new-build homes since a man jumped her teenage daughter from the bushes last year.

She said: “It’s really worrying, that place is a no-go area. My girl came running into the house screaming saying a man jumped out at her and tried to grab her. We never reported it to the police because she got away but knowing what we do now I wish I had.”