A man was stabbed and suffered burn injuries in a building explosion during an attempted murder in North Lanarkshire.

Police are appealing for witnesses after receiving reports at around 11.40pm on Tuesday night of a disturbance, an explosion and a fire at a disused building next to a nursery in New Stevenston.

Following the explosion at a property on Hall Street, the injured 38-year-old man and another man are thought to have left the building just before it went up in flames.

The injured man was pursued by the driver of a light-coloured car from Hall Street onto Stevenston Street, who police believe then got out of the car and chased the injured man while brandishing a weapon.

On arrival at the scene in Hall Street, police found no trace of a disturbance but the premises was well ablaze and had sustained significant damage.

A short time later, at around midnight, the 38-year-old man arrived in a white van at Monklands District General Hospital where he sought treatment for stab wounds and burn injuries.

He has since been transferred to another hospital where staff describe his condition as serious.

Detective superintendent Kenny Graham, of Divisional CID, said: "From our enquiries so far we understand that there was an explosion in the building followed by a significant fire which subsequently destroyed it.

"We know that at least two men were seen going into the building and, following the explosion, two men left the building just prior to it going up in flames.

"One of those two is believed the injured man who a short time later went to the hospital.

"The injured man is then chased by the driver of a light-coloured car from Hall Street into Stevenson Street where it is reported that a man (possibly the same one) was chased by another man brandishing a weapon.

"The car then made off along Stevenson Street towards Holytown.

"Officers have been in the area all day checking CCTV and a number of people have come forward to police already and their information has been very helpful, however, we are still keen to hear from anyone else who was in the vicinity between 11.30pm and midnight, who may have seen the car, the man with the weapon or indeed any information that will assist our enquiry.

"Whilst we have not yet had access to the building, we believe that there has been some sort of criminal activity taking place there and that the attack on the man and the fire was linked to that.

"We do not consider this to be a random attack.

"We believe at this time that the injured man got his burns as a result of the fire/explosion."

Anyone with information can contact the CID at Motherwell Police Station via 101, quoting reference number 0113/05/06.

Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.