KEY POINTS:
A man armed with a knife broke into the home of two elderly sisters in Gisborne early this morning.
An 81-year-old woman and her younger sister were woken in their Kingsley Street home at 3am to find the man in their house.
He then swung a knife at them but one of the sisters deflected the knife with the palm of her hand.
She received superficial wounds though neither was seriously hurt.
Detective Sergeant Kevin Ford said police were called to the house after neighbours, including an off-duty detective, heard a loud scream about 3am.
"(One sister) disturbed an armed man in her house, who then slashed at her with a knife," Mr Ford said.
"He then ran off."
Police using dogs located a suspect about half an hour later.
The cuts to the woman's hand were not serious. Her sister was asleep in the house at the time.
The offender probably entered the house through a rear window, Mr Ford said.
Investigations were continuing and police are not yet sure if anything was taken.
"The woman is recovering well through the support of her family and with the help of Victim Support."
Police said a 41-year-old Gisborne man had been charged with aggravated burglary and aggravated wounding and would appear in the Gisborne District Court later today.
Police would oppose bail.
- NZPA
