A MUM and daughter are fighting for their lives following a brutal hammer attack by a stranger in a London street yesterday.
Joe Xuereb, 27, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder after the two women, 64 and 30, were targeted in New Eltham, South East London, on Sunday afternoon.
One of the victims was so badly injured that "her face was hanging off," according to another woman who went to their aid.
The women were taken to south London hospitals where their condition has been described as critical.
Eye-witnesses told how the suspect left the scene "calmly on a pushbike" leaving the women horrifically injured in Adderley Gardens at around 12.10pm.
They described the victims "covered in blood" while the suspect walked "calmly" around, swinging his hammer.
The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "It was horrific. Her face was hanging off, I was trying to put her face back together. They were definitely life-changing injuries."
Video shows police at the scene where two women were hit by a man with a hammer in south east LondonShe added: "She was hit in the face and the head, and the other woman was hit in the head. I'm worried they won't survive."
She said the suspect was still in the road while she bandaged up one of the victim's face before adding: "One of the women was choking on her own blood so we sat her up.
"She was in an out of consciousness."
A bloodied slipper was seen strewn on the pavement.
Another neighbour described the suspect "calmly" swinging the hammer in the street while his victims lay bleeding on the ground.
Police said they received a number of calls after appealing for help in finding the suspect.
They added that a brave have-a-go-hero followed the man in her car until police detained him two-and-a-half miles away in Old Farm Avenue, Sidcup.
The two victims are not believed to live locally, and were visiting friends in the area.
An eyewitness described hearing "screams" that sounded "like kids" following the incident.
She added: "Then I looked out the window and saw them covered in blood. And he was there swinging his hammer. He was so calm."
She said that he started hitting a brick wall before he "got on his pushbike and calmly cycled away from the scene".
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Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan said: "I would like to pass my thanks to the public and the media for all their support.
"I am extremely proud of my colleagues and the community, who have all done so much to bring this part of the investigation to a safe resolution.
"It shows what can be achieved when we all work together."
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