A stabbing victim has  described the moment doctors told him he had to have his arms and legs amputated.

Ernest ‘Joe’ Moyo, was attacked as he left a party in Pavilion Road, Worthing, in 2012.

He was stabbed in the leg and stomach and was left in the road.

Joe was left fighting for his life in hospital and after infection spread and put his vital organs in danger.

The decision was  taken by doctors to amputate his arms and legs.

He said: “The lowest point for  me was when they told me I had  to get my legs cut off and then  when they told me my arms had  to go as well it was a double blow.

“I even shed a tear.

“I want to move on and leave it  all behind me, at least that’s the plan, but in a sense you can’t forget what’s happened because the memories are there in front of  me every day.

“The worst thing about it is that I can’t do most of the things I want to do.

“Something as simple as pouring myself a drink I just can’t do any more.

“That’s not so good, but it’s just something you have to deal with.”

The 27-year-old now wants to set up a charity to raise awareness of knife crime among youngsters, and hopes his story will deter youths from carrying blades.

He said: “The boys who stabbed me were 16 and 17 at the time, there’s something so wrong about that, and it’s not  the first time that’s happened in Worthing.”

Joe’s partner Amy Dunne’s life has also changed dramatically since the incident, not least on Valentine’s Day when Joe proposed to her.

The 23-year-old said: “We were watching the football at the Mulberry pub and he turned to me and asked me to reach into his right side pocket.

“I pulled a box out and he said ‘will you marry me, you know I love you don’t you?’.

“So now we’re just looking forward to our future together.”

The husband-to-be added: “It means a lot that she’s still with me – a lot of girls would have run 100 miles away.”

Joe and his family paid tribute to the amazing work of the staff  at Roehampton and Royal Sussex County Hospital as well as officers from Sussex Police.