A Chinese takeaway worker has been acquitted of attempting to murder his ‘nagging’ boss after nearly killing her with a cleaver.

However, Lianjun Sun, of Cromer Road, Ipswich, had previously pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Ruo Jun Tian.

Ipswich Crown Court had heard Ms Tian described in court as being a ‘female Gordon Ramsay’ in the kitchen.

Following the not guilty attempted murder verdict Judge Rupert Overbury adjourned Sun’s sentencing for psychiatric reports to be compiled. It will not take place until at least April 30.

During Sun’s trial the court heard he hacked at Miss Tian’s neck with the cleaver delivering two massive blows which almost killed the 50-year-old.

The attack occurred on November 1 at the New China takeaway in Garrick Way, Ipswich,

One blow caused an injury measuring 12cm from the midline of her throat to her left ear. The other blow to the back of the neck fractured the top of her spine missing fully severing her spinal column by 1mm.

Ms Tian was critically injured and needed two operations.

Two off-duty members of staff in an adjacent flat were alerted by Miss Tian’s screams and carried her from the restaurant kitchen to near their front door where she was assisted by passers-by and paramedics before being taken to hospital.

During the trial the court heard Ms Tian’s ex-husband Michael Wan told police his former wife liked everything to be perfect in her kitchen and behaved like a female version of Gordon Ramsay.

“She’s a person who wants things done properly. It’s like ‘Hell’s Kitchen’,”he said.

“If you watch Hell’s Kitchen Gordon Ramsay says ‘I want this. I want that to happen’. She’s got a mouth like Gordon Ramsay but is a woman,” he told police.

Mr Wan added his former wife, who is known as Linda, was a very good chef and had a lovely personality.

“All the customers like her cooking. She got on well with everyone,” he said.

However, he said she was very strict about the way food was prepared and would nag staff if things weren’t done to her high standards.

Sun had claimed Ms Tian had started shouting abuse and insults at him during a row about cutting up vegetables. She then tapped him on the chest with a knife she was holding and told him “I could easily kill you”.

He said her threats made him angry and he had picked up a cleaver from a chopping board because he was scared Ms Tian was going to use the knife.

Sun denied intending to kill his boss and that having injured her he had “left her for dead”.

Following the attack Sun hid the cleaver under a fridge in an outhouse, returned home, and changed out of his blood stained clothing.

He was arrested after leaving his flat by a back door.