A WOMAN is fighting for life after being found with serious head injuries following an alleged assault.

Emergency services were contacted at around 8pm with reports of a woman being found seriously injured at a property in Clarence Park Road in Pokesdown.

As a result, staff from Poole Hospital contacted Dorset Police at 12.53am

The woman, aged in her 40s, is said to be in a life-threatening condition. Her family have been informed.

Detectives have launched an investigation leading to one man being arrested.

A security guard created a cordon outside a property on the corner of Christchurch Road and Clarence Park Road yesterday.

One marked police car and two crime scene investigation vans were seen parked by a block of flats which were contained by the cordon. Officers are also conducting house-to-house enquiries in the area.

John Cherry, 63, retired, who lives nearby, said: “It’s not nice to hear of it near where I live. There’s the odd incident but it tends to happen in Boscombe. I wish these things didn’t happen. I hope that she pulls through.”

One lady said that ‘all manner of bad things’ have happened in the area since she moved to Pokesdown four years ago. She added: “It’s a bit scary as I am from the Isle of Wight and we’re not used to things like this happening there. It’s not nice.”

Another woman, who passed by the crime scene, said: “It’s shocking. Generally Pokesdown is very nice and all the bad things happen down the road in Boscombe. I’ve been here for 15 years. It’s very worrying to hear that this has happened to a woman. Let’s hope that she makes a full recovery.”

Detective Inspector Neil Phillips of Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team said: “We believe that this woman may have been assaulted and I am appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the area of Clarence Park Road on Monday evening to please call me urgently.”

A 36-year-old man from Bournemouth has been arrested in connection with the incident and is currently assisting officers with their enquiries at the time of Daily Echo going to press. This morning they were granted more time to question him.

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101, quoting incident number 3:14 or call the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.