A MAJOR police investigation has been launched after a woman was found slumped in a chair in a York street, suffering from what police described as serious burns.

The woman was discovered early today in Foxwood Lane. Police said she had been assaulted and was suffering from third degree burns.

It is not known how the woman was injured. One local suggested her burns had been caused by paint thinner, but another source suggested there had been a fire.

Police investigations today focused on a house in Foxwood Lane, where an armchair with burn marks was in the garden. The front door frame appeared to have been damaged.

Police officers were conducting door-to-door inquiries in the neighbourhood as they sought to establish what had happened.

North Yorkshire police spokesman Ron Johnson said: "The woman, who is in her 20s, has been detained in York District Hospital.

"This is being treated as a serious incident, and York police are appealing for information and witnesses."

Anyone who can help is asked to contact police on 01904 631321.

Residents living near the scene of the incident told how it unfolded after they were disturbed by activities in and around the house in Foxwood Lane.

Neighbour Denise Crossley said she had been disturbed in the early hours by "a lot of banging and thumping".

She said: "It sounded like somebody thumping on the wall or something. Then everything went quiet and we thought it was all over."

Another near-neighbour, who did not wish to be identified, said he understood that a van driver coming along Foxwood Lane in the middle of the night, had seen a person slumped in an armchair near the shops and called the police.

He said police had arrived in force, and had broken down the door of the house involved.

He said that cars had been driven up and down the lane at the back of the house involved for some time last night before the woman was found, and there had been shouting, swearing and loud music.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "We are aware that a serious situation occurred in Foxwood Lane in the early hours of this morning.

"We are currently working with police to determine what occurred and will then decide on the appropriate course of action."

Updated: 14:57 Tuesday, September 04, 2001