This horrific picture shows grandmother Vera Stephens, brutally battered in her home by a stranger who tried to indecently assault her.

Former teacher Mrs Stephens, 84, was punched in the face as she answered the door of her flat to a caller.

He pushed her into the bathroom and beat her to the floor with a series of vicious blows which left her severely bruised and cut.

Mrs Stephens, from Crawley, said: "I was watching television and there was a ring on my door phone. I went to it and there was a voice, similar to a female, childish voice. It said, 'This is Yvonne'.

"I've got a niece who comes a lot and I thought it was her pulling my leg. I thought it must be her or one of my neighbour's grandchildren who often visit.

"I'm usually much more careful but I opened the door. His face was right up at the door and out came this fist and hit me. He pushed me into the bathroom and was punching me all the time.

"He pushed me on the seat of the toilet, but it was opened and I got wedged in. He was still punching me. I could see he was struggling with his trousers. He tried to put his hands down my trousers but he couldn't get in.

"I was pushed over the bath and my glasses fell off and I thought, 'I've got to calm him down,' so I said, 'Look, I'm 84, I've got heart trouble and if anything happens to me, my God you will be in real trouble.'

"For the first time he stopped and stood up and stood still. I immediately got up and his face was staring at me. He gave me another punch. I thought, 'What can I do', and I said, 'If you don't leave me alone I will bite you' - and that's what I did.

"He pulled himself away from me and walked out. At that point I rushed out into the corridor and shouted, 'Help, help,' and banged on my neighbour's door."

The attacker tried to get into the neighbour's flat but she managed to shut him out by closing the inside glass door.

After the attack in Brighton Road, Southgate, Crawley, the man casually walked away.

Mrs Stephens said: "He was sauntering down the corridor as though nothing had happened. I saw him put his hand to his face where I bit him and he was fiddling with a plastic bag.

"I wasn't frightened, I just thought, 'How can I get out of this?'. He was as mad as a hatter. He never said a word the whole time, he was absolutely silent."

Mrs Stephens, who spent most of her life teaching English as a foreign language in Spain before retiring to Crawley last year, needed hospital treatment for her injuries.

Police have appealed for information.

Detective Constable Steve Tattersall, of Crawley CID, said: "It's very bizarre. There's no reason, no motive why this man has carried out this attack and that makes it all the more difficult."

The attacker was between 19 and 23, 5ft 2in to 5ft 4in tall and of medium to plump build. He had slightly tanned skin, a round face and short, straight dark hair.

He was carrying a white plastic carrier bag with something round, like a football, inside. He wore a cream coloured top and dark trousers.