A 61-year-old woman was stabbed in the head and face with a screwdriver.

The woman, named locally as Sue, was brutally attacked outside her luxury cottage on Tuesday.

The attack is being treated as attempted murder by Sussex Police.

A neighbour found the victim leaning up against a gate at the bottom of her driveway, in Emms Lane, Brooks Green, near Horsham, at about 4.20pm.

The road was closed off for hours as police officers carefully investigated the scene of the crime.

A man is believed to have driven off in a van after attacking the victim.

A builder working on a house opposite said: “I was only talking to her on Friday.

“We were just chatting about the weather – I can’t believe anyone would do this to her.

“She was five foot nothing and a lovely, lovely lady.”

A man has since been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after police tracked down a van near a ferry terminal in Portsmouth.

Residents at the nearby Larkin Park caravan site were in a “state of shock” according to one resident.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We’re just in shock, you don’t expect this sort of thing to happen around here.

“It’s such a small community and it’s really taken everybody by surprise.

“All our thoughts are with the family, neighbours and friends at this stage and we really hope she makes a full recovery.”

The victim was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton where she underwent surgery for serious, but not life-threatening, injuries to her head and face.

Detective Sergeant Sian Harding said: “We do not believe this was a random attack and we are currently trying to establish the circumstances.

“We would like to speak to anyone who may have seen a blue van, displaying a French registration plate, in the area on Tuesday afternoon or who may have information that could assist our investigation.

“A French-registered van was located near a ferry terminal in Portsmouth later on Tuesday evening and the male occupant was arrested by colleagues from Hampshire Police.”

The arrested man, a 54-year-old, was still in custody awaiting questioning when The Argus went to print.

He is British and not an immediate member of the victim’s family.

Anyone with information should call the police on 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting Operation Hawfinch.