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Man faces court following "horrifying" chainsaw attack on ex-partner.

“Extremely horrifying.” Those were the words used by police to describe a frenzied chainsaw attack carried out on a New South Wales woman and her family earlier this week.

Terrance Purvis faced court yesterday charged with break and enter, reckless wounding and grievous bodily harm, having handed himself into police just hours after the Tuesday-night ordeal, reports Seven News.

The 30-year-old allegedly used a chainsaw to force his way into Chloe Griffiths’ Port Macquarie home, before rounding on Griffiths and her 49-year-old mother Julie Griffiths, who attempted to fend him off with a knife.

Police have confirmed Griffiths’ two young children, aged five and seven, were home at the time. They were not injured.

Accused, Terrance Purvis. Image: Seven News.

"He had this look, I've never seen this look, it was so cold and frightening," Julie told Seven News.

"He was coming at me with the chainsaw, just flicking it left, right and centre, and I knew i got hit. I had this burning sensation in my arm."

The family barricaded themselves into a bedroom as the attacker allegedly began to cut around the door handle.

Terrified and fearful she would lose her mother, Chloe desperately called Triple 000 before reportedly managing to wrestle the weapon from his hands.

"It was fight or die, at the end of the day, and that's what we did," Chloe told Seven News.

Julie Griffiths was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital hospital for emergency surgery on her arm, the same hospital where her newest grandchild was born just hours later.

During Wednesday's court appearance, it was revealed that apprehended violence order had been taken out against Purvis prior to the attack.

He was denied bail and is due to appear in court again next month.