Police were today hunting a masked attacker who burst into the home of a 25-year-old Keighley woman and struck her across the head and hands with a bat.

She suffered two head wounds, a fractured hand and fractured fingers in the apparently motiveless attack as she struggled to protect herself in the kitchen of her home in Hardwick Street.

Keighley police were today combing Lund Park, near the scene of the assault, where they believe her attacker fled.

A spokesman said the man struck at 6.30pm on Saturday after the woman answered a knock at her kitchen door.

"He burst in and hit her on the head with what she described as a bat. She fell backwards into the kitchen and attempted to make towards the staircase to call for help from a lodger upstairs," she said. "She stumbled and fell backwards and the man continued to hit her a number of times. She held up her hands to protect herself."

The woman needed 13 stitches in one head wound and nine in another. Police say at this point that they have no motive. The attacker, wearing a balaclava with eye holes, is described as 5ft10ins to 6ft tall and wearing a shiny black bomber jacket. Anyone with information should call 0800 555 111.

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