A 32 year-old woman suffered a brutal attack in her Auckland home overnight.
The woman woke up sometime between midnight and 12.30am after hearing noises.
She was accosted on the stairs of her Onehunga apartment by a man who bound her wrists and attempted to gag her, police said.
Auckland police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said: "Neighbours in the block of flats heard noises and called out to the woman asking if she needed help. She then screamed and her attacker left the flat."
A man was seen briefly by neighbours in Spring St when sensor lights were activated. The scene has been secured for forensic examination.
The woman has received hospital treatment for her injuries and has given a preliminary statement to police.
Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Beard said the attack was at the upper end of the scale and could have been much worse if the woman and her neighbours had not reacted in the way they did.
"The woman's flatmate was not home at the time of the attack, but thankfully her neighbours had the courage to call out to her. She's absolutely traumatised and exhausted after her ordeal," Mr Beard said.
"Obviously we'd like to hear from anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour in the Spring St area near the corner of Church St in Onehunga late last night or early this morning."
Police will be at the scene for at least another day and will make further inquiries this afternoon.
The woman described her attacker as a Maori or Polynesian, of slim build and with long, dark hair. He was wearing three-quarter length pants and a dark coloured fleece top with a zip to mid-chest.
