repeatedly stabbed him during a bungled burglary on Wednesday night.

Vaun Stonehouse, 61, surprised two intruders when they tried to break into his Malcombe Street home through a back door.

Detective Senior Sergeant Jonathan Higgins said the men thought the house was empty as Mr Stonehouse, who was sick in bed, did not answer their knocks to the front door.

When Mr Stonehouse confronted them one man hit him over the head before the other stabbed him in the body and arms.

Mr Stonehouse's son Jayde said today his father was hoping to leave intensive care tomorrow.

Yesterday, Jayde Stonehouse recalled the moment his father phoned for help after the stabbing.

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Mr Stonehouse was at the Westbury hotel when he got the call from his father as he lay in the backyard, waiting for emergency services.

"I could barely understand him other than the fact he'd been stabbed and he wanted me there," Mr Stonehouse said yesterday.

Jayde Stonehouse said: "I didn't know who had done it or where he'd been stabbed, I was just a ball of stress.

"I was lucky it took only 20 minutes to get here and he was still at home."

The ambulance found Mr Stonehouse lying in his backyard and took him to the Launceston General Hospital where he had surgery.

"He's a bit better now. He had a punctured lung and they've cut across his abdomen but he's in very good spirits," Jayde Stonehouse said.

"I think he is a bit (shaken up) but he doesn't like to show it."

Detective Senior Sergeant Higgins said the intruders had also knocked on a neighbour's door minutes before the attack.

"They were actually startled to find someone was actually home and they asked the time and then were told to basically leave and they did."

The male offenders were described as being in their early to mid-20s. One was of a stocky build and about 175-centimetres tall and was wearing a fawn-coloured cap.

The second man was thinner with a goatee. He was wearing a black hoodie and black track pants.

Jayde Stonehouse said he was "very angry" his father, who lived alone, had been senselessly attacked.

"I can't explain it really, I'm still quite shocked. It's not something that happens in our town and it happened to my dad," he said."

Neighbour Michael Donovan said he couldn't believe someone had been stabbed in his street.

"It is very, very unusual here. It's a very quiet area so it's really surprising and it was in daylight too.

"It's very bad, especially for families or people living on their own."

Detective Senior Sergeant Higgins said the crime was unusual.

"People break in to houses and they don't tend to encounter someone inside ... when they do find someone inside (they) don't normally then enter into a confrontation with them, they normally just run."

Anyone who also had strangers knocking on their door for no particular reason were asked to call Launceston CIB on 6336 3911 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

• A SANDFORD man was assaulted when he confronted three men who had broken into his home on Tuesday night.

He and a woman arrived home about 10.30pm and disturbed three men with makeshift weapons.

The man was admitted to hospital with a fracture to his eye socket and jaw.

All three intruders wore dark-coloured clothing with two wearing dark balaclavas and the third wearing a ski mask.

One offender was described as 182 centimetres tall and skinny, with unusual or large eyes while the second offender was 182 centimetres tall with a medium build.

The third was 174 centimetres and stocky. He had dark brown hair with a slight curl and spoke with a strong stutter.