Woman stabbed while walking dog

A woman has been attacked by a knifeman in a Devon village.

Police said she was stabbed several times in the back by a man while out walking her dog in Bowden Hill, Yealmpton, earlier.

A passer-by tried to help the victim, aged in her late 40s, but the knifeman punched him in the face and fled.

The woman was taken to hospital where she is in a comfortable condition. A man was later arrested in the village on suspicion of attempted murder.

'Rare crime'

Thirty four officers, the force helicopter and sniffer dogs were used in a search.

Insp Phil Chivers told BBC News: "It's a very unusual and rare crime for this area.

"I can't remember anything like it before."

Yealmpton, about five miles east of Plymouth, has a population of about 3,000 who are mainly commuters and retired people.

Parish council chairman Richard Yonge said: "I was very surprised when I heard about the attack.

"It's the sort of thing you don't expect to happen anywhere, let alone Yealmpton.

"There's a great community spirit and any violence is very rare."