A man has pleaded guilty to attempting to murder a mother-of-three in Sidcup.

Connor Fox, 38, of no fixed address, had previously pleaded not guilty to the offence.

However, at the start of his trial at Inner London Crown Court on Monday (February 16), Fox, who is deaf, admitted trying to kill mother-of-three Jemma Foot.

Miss Foot, 24, was attacked by Fox in her home in Cleve Road, Sidcup, at 11.30pm on April 24 last year.

The court - in the presence of British Sign Language interpretors - heard he turned up at Miss Foot's home late at night equipped with a length of rope tied in a noose and a pair of scissors.

He waited in the dark for her to return, having got in through an unlocked back door.

Miss Foot then returned home in the company of her partner, Keith Cooper, and Fox stabbed her with the pair of scissors.

Fox also attacked Mr Cooper, inflicting stab wounds on him before fleeing from the scene.

At the time a neighbour, who asked not to be named, told News Shopper: "My daughter woke up with someone shouting 'help me, help me' at about 11.45pm.

"We got up and the helicopters were going mad. There were about five police cars, a car from the air ambulance and the paramedics.

"Someone was really badly hurt."

Chelsea King, 26, who lives on the street, added: "I heard the helicopter for about an hour last night circling the meadows which are just behind our houses.

"It is a really quiet street with lots of elderly people so it was quite shocking to see this kind of thing.

"The house was taped off and I saw police men in blue forensics suits coming in and out of the house."

Miss Foot was left in a critical condition, with her family holding a bedside vigil as she fought for her life in the weeks after the incident.

Judge Roger Chapple told the court: "The sentence that will be passed will be based on the case of the defence, that is to say the intention to kill was formed at the scene and shortly before the attack."

Fox will be sentenced on April 30.