A woman of 81 has been seriously injured in a vicious attack at a Bradford care home.

The incident happened at Sunningdale Care Home in North Park Road, Manningham, which provides care for residents who have dementia or other mental health-related illnesses.

The victim last night remained in Bradford Royal Infirmary recovering from the attack. A police investigation is continuing.

Police and paramedics were called to the home after the woman was found badly injured.

It is understood she was attacked with a metal walking stick by an 83-year-old man, also a resident at home. The man was arrested in connection with the assault and later detained under the Mental Health Act in a secure unit.

The woman, who has not been named, was initially treated in BRI’s intensive care unit until her condition improved.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: “We were called to reports of an assault at an address on North Park Road.

“An 83-year-old man was arrested in connection with the assault and has since been transferred to a mental health trust secure unit.

“An 81-year-old female was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary and is recovering slowly.”

Last night a spokesman for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust described the woman’s condition as “much improved”.

A spokesman for Bradford Council said of the attack: “Our adult protection unit is aware of this and adult protection procedures are being followed.”

Sunningdale is a 40-bed home which is owned and operated by the Crabtree Care Homes, a family-run business which has been caring for the elderly for 35 years.

It has a two star ‘good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission, the body responsible for the registration and inspection of social care services in England and has block contracts with Bradford Council’s Social Services department, as well as Leeds, Calderdale and North Yorkshire Social Services.

The manager of Sunningdale declined to comment about the incident which occurred on October 18.

No-one at Bradford-based Crabtree Care Homes was available for comment.

A spokesman for Bradford District Care Trust, which runs mental health and learning disability services in the district, including Lynfield Mount Hospital, would neither confirm nor deny the man arrested was a service user due to “patient confidentiality reasons”.