COPS in Liverpool are desperately hunting a knife maniac after a mum was stabbed to death yesterday morning.

The fiend - thought to be known to the victim - repeatedly gored the 29-year-old before fleeing her home in St Helens, Merseyside.

An air ambulance crew was scrambled to try and save her life, but she died shortly after they arrived.

One horrified neighbour told the Liverpool Echo: We're all in shock. It's getting worse and worse round here.

"My missus used to see her every morning taking her kids to school."

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "Officers were called to an address on Swan Avenue, Derbyshire Hill, at 11.40am to a report of an assault at the address.

"When officers arrived they found that a 29-year-old woman occupant at the address had suffered multiple stab wounds.

DCI Ian Warlow added: "At present we are in the very early stages of an ongoing investigation, but we believe the offender is known to the victim and a search is ongoing to find him.

"A Home Office post mortem will take place to establish the cause of death and next of kin have been informed.

"The scene remains cordoned off for forensic examinations and officers are carrying out house-to-house inquiries in the area.

"I would like to reassure the local community that incidents like this are extremely rare and would ask anyone with information to come forward."