Father-of-three stabbed to death on doorstep as he arrived home for wife's birthday

Christian Puttock, 34, was knifed in the chest as he unpacked his car outside the family home on a quiet residential estate.

It was his wife Lisa's 34th birthday and just two weeks after they celebrated the arrival of their baby daughter.

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Christian Puttock (pictured with his wife Lisa on their wedding day) was knifed in the chest as he unpacked his car outside their home in Clevedon, Somerset

A neighbour who witnessed the attack ran to his aid and battled in vain to revive Mr Puttock but he died in hospital an hour later.

He said: "I told his wife and children to go into my house.

"I dragged Christian into the kitchen, closed the door to stop the children from seeing what was going on and gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"I tried my best but it didn't seem to work. He was dying in my arms. It was just unbelievable."

The attack happened at around 4pm on Tuesday afternoon after the family returned to their £200,000 home in Clevedon, Somerset.

Mr Puttock, who spent long periods away and is believed to have worked on ships, was stabbed in the chest seconds later.

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He collapsed to the floor before the quick-thinking neighbour dragged him into his house and ushered Mrs Puttock and her children away.

Emergency services arrived quickly and took Mr Puttock to the Bristol Royal Infirmary where he died of his injuries.

The motive for the attack has not been revealed but police sources say Mr Puttock did not know his attacker.

The neighbour added: "Christian was one of the nicest men you could ever meet and what has happened is going to be so tough on his wife and children.

"It is a nice neighbourhood with mainly families and couples living here. This sort of thing just doesn't happen.

"The whole area is in shock."

The couple married at St John's Church, in Clevedon, in June 2006 after meeting on a blind date in 2004.

In a Valentine's Day message placed in his local newspaper last year, Mr Puttock wrote of his love for Lisa.

He wrote: "I feel in my heart that I am the luckiest man alive to have you in my life but as you know I hate not being with you every day.

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"So my darling I just want to tell you that you mean the world to me and my love for you grows stronger every day we are apart.

"I will never tire of hearing you say you love me and I hope you feel the same.

"I will never forget the first time I saw you in your wedding dress, you have never looked more beautiful."

A close relative of Mrs Puttock said: "Lisa is absolutely inconsolable. She feels like her heart has been ripped apart.

"Lisa can't believe that in one single act, her husband and the father of her children has been taken away.

"Her family are obviously giving her all the love and help she needs to get through this awful time."

A touching tribute was left at the scene of Christian's death from his wife's family.

It read: "No dad could ever wish for a better person to care for their daughter and father to all their children.

"You may be taken from us but you will never be forgotten."

It was signed: "The Rodgers Family."

• David Brown, 34, of Clevedon, Somerset, was due to appear at Weston-super-Mare Magistrates' Court, charged with murder.