Four people have been arrested in connection with an attempted murder after a Keighley private hire driver was mugged at knifepoint and stabbed while dropping off a fare.

Detectives are investigating the attempted murder of a 54-year-old man who was hospitalised with stab wounds on Sunday morning.

He remained in a “stable” condition yesterday, a police spokesman said.

The driver, whose name has not been released, dropped off a woman passenger near Leeds United’s Elland Road stadium in Beeston, Leeds.

After pulling over his car, he was approached by two men who demanded money, before one of them allegedly attacked him with a knife.

The men and the woman then fled the scene and the man, a driver for Ace Cars private hire firm, was taken to Leeds General Infirmary with stab wounds.

A police spokesman yesterday said that three men, two aged 19 and a 21-year-old, and a 20-year-old woman had been arrested in connection with the stabbing.

The incident happened at about 3.55am on Sunday in the Heathcroft Drive area and parts of the estate were sealed off with police tape as officers conducted their investigations.

Yesterday, the man remained in hospital in a serious but stable condition. His injuries were not believed to be life threatening.

Sakhawat Hussain, a member of the Bradford Private Hire Association, said the attack was on an innocent man working nights to provide an important service.

He said: “I totally condemn this sort of act. Taxi drivers try the best they can to give people a service. In a way we are the fourth biggest service after the emergency services. People don’t appreciate that we have families that we leave behind when we do the job. It is not nice when you hear something like this happening.

“It is good news that the police have arrested people.”

Anyone with more information should contact City and Holbeck CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.