'Power of prayer' saved Abigail

The family of stabbing victim Abigail Witchalls are convinced her recovery from life- threatening wounds is due to "the miraculous power of prayer".

Abigail's mother-in-law, Chantal, has told friends she believes "a worldwide circle of prayer" helped the 26-year-old mother defy doctors' forecasts and begin an astonishing return to health.

After the attack last in Little Bookham, Surrey, last Wednesday, her condition was critical. Police feared they would soon be investigating a murder.

One week later, Mrs Witchalls has recovered to the point where she has given detectives almost 12 hours of interviews, helping-them issue a detailed description of her attacker.

While she remains paralysed from the neck down, she is now regaining " tingling sensations" in her arms - giving her family hope she may not be permanently immobilised, as first predicted.

Today a friend of the family said: "Chantal was very positive about Abigail's recovery and kept saying she believed it was down to the fact that millions of people around the world were praying for her." The family have refused to discuss reports that Mrs Witchalls is 10 weeks pregnant.

Detectives investigating the stabbing are pursuing a number of "interesting names" of possible suspects. Police have had 210 calls from the public after the hospital images of Mrs Witchalls and her harrowing account of the assault.

She told police how a palefaced man with silver hoop earrings held a knife to her son Joseph's throat before stabbing her in the neck.

Mrs Witchalls used blinks, facial expressions and mouthed words to describe the attack.

Today detectives are checking the names of suspects as well as following several lines of inquiry - including the possibility that Mrs Witchalls may have been attacked by a stalker who knew her daily routine.