Police received a report from the 72-year-old mother and daughter, 48, around 5 am claiming they were attacked by the father, Ho.

They made the call while hiding in a bedroom.

Ho was arrested for wounding and is being detained for investigations. He hasn't been charged as of last night.

The mother, Poon, and her daughter were sent to Princess Margaret Hospital yesterday and are in stable condition.

Sources said the couple have been living in Hoi Wo House at Hoi Lai Estate in Cheung Sha Wan for many years. Their daughter was married and has moved out but would still visit the couple from time to time.

There was no history of domestic violence in the family, sources said.

However, the couple are understood not to have a good relationship as the husband suspects his wife of having had an affair years ago and the daughter of not being his child.

On Sunday, the daughter returned home to celebrate her mother's birthday and slept in the same room that night, sources said, after a dinner that was free of incident.

However, the mother and daughter woke up in agony at 5 am yesterday after having freshly boiled water poured over them allegedly by the husband, who then proceeded to slash at them with an 18-centimeter-long kitchen knife.

They managed to get the knife off him and push him out of the room before calling for help.

The man is also understood to have called the police to confess he had slashed them.

Both women suffered scalds and cuts on their heads, hands and legs.

Emergency personnel put a mask on the daughter's face to treat her wounds.

The police seized a kitchen knife, an electric kettle, a stainless steel bowl and a set of keys.