Man stabbed and left for dead in burning house

A man is fighting for his life after he was found outside a burning house in rural Co Offaly with multiple stab wounds and severe burns.

Ciaran Murphy was stabbed up to 16 times and left for dead in an attack thought to have been carried out by a crime gang, possibly over a drugs debt.

The 24-year-old, from Rhode village, managed to crawl out of the house after it was set alight. He was spotted by a neighbour who went to investigate the blaze and alerted the emergency services.