Man charged after elderly woman assaulted in her home

A man has been charged after a 73-year-old woman was left with a fractured face when she was assaulted in her Auckland home.

The man, 23, allegedly assaulted the woman late last night after he attempted to enter her Glen Eden home.

At around 11pm neighbours noticed a suspicious man loitering in the woman's driveway, police said.

They saw lights on inside the home, went to investigate and saw a man inside, where he was allegedly assaulting the elderly woman.

The neighbours chased the man away and called police.

Officers searched for the man using a dog unit, and he was found and arrested shortly after. He has been charged with aggravated assault and burglary.

He is due to appear in Waitakere District Court later today.

Detective Sergeant Alisse Robertson said these types of incidents were rare and thanked the woman's neighbours for intervening.

"We know that the rest of the community, particularly the elderly, will have been very alarmed to hear of this and we hope they will be reassured that the alleged offender has been arrested and charged."

The woman's family was grateful for the public concern and was supporting the woman, police said.

She was receiving medical treatment for facial fractures and scratches.

Earlier a spokesman for Waitemata District Health Board said the woman was in a stable condition at North Shore Hospital.