A police helicopter and search dogs were scrambled to catch an attacker after a woman was beaten in her West Sussex flat.

The manhunt was launched when the suspect jumped from a first-floor window in a desperate bid to escape as officers arrived.

They were called just before 7pm yesterday following reports of a serious assault in South Terrace, Littlehampton.

They found a woman had been badly beaten around the head.

More officers, search dogs and a helicopter were brought in to create a 'containment area' near the town's shopping centre, while an ambulance took the woman, who had suffered serious facial injuries, to Worthing Hospital.

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said as police closed the net on the suspect, a dog handler spotted a man running along Beach Road in Littlehampton.

Before he could intercept, the man is alleged to have punched two teenage boys who were walking along the street.

She said: "A neighbour had called and reported a fracas in the flat upstairs. Officers arrived and found the woman had been seriously hurt.

"The next thing a man jumped out of a window. There was an extensive search for him.

"He went on to assault two boys immediately afterwards. Police came across him and an arrest was made."

The 33-year-old woman was taken to hospital with a suspected fractured cheekbone.

A 28-year-old man was arrested and taken to the police custody centre at Durrington, Worthing.