A WOMAN was in hospital and a police manhunt had been launched following a violent burglary in York.

An intruder wearing a hooded top broke into a house in Baker Street in Clifton at about 2.15am yesterday.

The householder confronted him in a first-floor bedroom, where he then attacked her with a weapon, causing deep cuts to her head and ear, police said.

The attacker also stole items from upstairs and downstairs in the house, then fled via the back door.

The victim, a woman in her 50s, phoned 999 and was taken by ambulance to York Hospital. Police say her injuries were serious but not life-threatening.

Police were conducting door-to-door inquiries in nearby streets as part of their investigation and expert investigators were examining the house. Local patrols had also been stepped up.

Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Costello, of North Yorkshire Police’s major crime unit, said: “This is a very disturbing incident and we are doing everything we can to support the victim and to bring the offender to justice.

“To assist the investigation, we are appealing to anyone with any information to come forward to the police as a matter of urgency.

“We need to know about any suspicious behaviour or sighting of individuals in the Baker Street area of Clifton during the early hours of Tuesday morning.”

He urged anyone who could help to identify the suspect to pass the name to police in confidence. DCI Costello said: “As a community, we simply will not tolerate this type of violent, criminal behaviour.

“Residents can be assured that these type of offences are extremely rare and we will not rest until the suspect is in custody.”

Anyone with information can phone police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.