A TAXI driver was stabbed during a violent robbery by a man in a cowboy hat.

The victim received cuts to his face in the early hours attack by a knife-wielding passenger on Sunday in Hilly Fields, WGC.

At around 1.25am the driver picked up the man at the Howard Centre to drop him off at the Oak Tavern pub in Moors Walk.

Once there, the passenger demanded to be taken to Hilly Fields, where he then knifed the victim and stole nearly �100 of taxi fares from him before running off.

The driver received injuries to his face and was taken to the QE2 Hospital for treatment.

He was released a few hours later.

Police said the robber was described as a black man, in his late teens/early 20s and around 5ft 9in tall.

He was wearing brown trousers, dark brown woolly gloves and a black cowboy hat.

Pc Craig Whitaker is investigating the assault and robbery.

He said: “We are treating this incident very seriously and I am appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time the incident occurred and saw anything suspicious.

“I would also like to speak to anyone who recognises the man described.

“The hat he was wearing was very distinctive and I imagine he would have stood out on the evening the incident took place.”

Witnesses should call police on 0845 33 00 222.