A teenage asylum-seeker who fled a brutal African war had his throat slashed on a station platform.

Alhassan Kamara, known as Alaska, is lucky to be alive after the attack, which left him needing 18 stitches to the wound in his neck.

Alaska, 16, a promising footballer who has had trials with Brighton and Hove Albion, was attacked after saying hello to a girl he recognised from his school while waiting for a train with a friend at Worthing station.

His attacker, aged 20 to 25, was standing with two other youths on the station when he took offence to Alaska speaking to the girl.

He came up to him and cut Alaska across the throat with a knife.

Bleeding, Alaska managed to run to security officers at the station, who called an ambulance while the youths ran off shouting racist abuse at him.

He said the girl had tried to stop the attacker from stabbing him but one of the others had pulled her away.

Alaska's wounds could threaten his dream of a football career with the Albion, which he had set his heart on as a way to build a new life after escaping the bloody conflict in his home country.

He fled Sierra Leone, West Africa, for his own safety after believing his parents had been killed in the war.

He has not heard if they are dead or alive since he made his escape to Britain to seek asylum in Worthing.

Alaska arrived at Gatwick in June 2001 after his surviving relatives and his home football team, for which he was a star player, paid for his air fare.

Fighting back the pain from his neck wound, together with an unrelated knee problem for which he was being treated before the attack, Alaska told how this latest trauma had sent him into despair and fearing for his football ambitions.

Describing the attack, which happened on Wednesday at 10.30pm, Alaska said: "I said hello. A boy just came over, said 'Why do you say hello to her?' and stabbed me.

"He put a hand inside his pocket, bought out a flick knife and stabbed me. I just pulled back to run.

"I did not know anything, I saw blood. I ran to the security officers and told them to get an ambulance."

Sporting tender stitches running from below his left ear and towards the front of his neck, Alaska said: "When he stabbed me I was not trying to listen to what they were saying.

"But my friend Innocent told me they were saying racist words to me.

"I left my country because of the war and brutality and something like this happens to me."

Alaska, who is waiting to find out if he is eligible for a British passport, was playing for Brighton and Hove Albion's under-17s squad until his knee injury put his trials on hold.

He is now not sure if he will be fit enough to play again for his dream team.

He is scared for his safety and has moved out of his home in Worthing since the attack.

He is staying with his coach Andy Strudwick, who runs the Jolly Brewers Sunday league football team.

The two met at a training session at Victoria Park, Worthing.

Mr Strudwick was amazed at how well Alaska played and encouraged him to try out for the Albion under-17s.

He is also trying to help pay for a knee operation to treat Alaska's injury.

The teenager is now a close friend of Mr Strudwick and his family, who were disgusted by the attack.

Mr Strudwick said: "At hospital after the attack, they said he was lucky to be alive.

"When I saw the cut, I thought whoever had done this had been lucky because it could have been murder.

"Alaska just looked heartbroken, really shell-shocked, and you just felt for him because he has not had the best of luck recently.

"It was very unusual to see him looking down but it has been one thing after another.

"I feel ashamed. He has come over here to try to get a better start in life. He is trying to build a life.

"You feel desperately sorry and hope him and his friends don't tar all white people with the same brush.

"The attackers were white and the main motivation was racism."

Detective Inspector Darren Stenning, of British Transport Police, appealed for witnesses to come forward.

He said: "This is a completely unprovoked attack, the victim was minding his own business.

"The scar will be horrendous. The doctors said he was lucky to be alive."

Anyone with information about the attack, on platforms one and two, should call British Transport Police on 0207 3915275.