Five arrested after woman run over during assault

The woman was attacked and run over on Victory Street in Sunderland

A woman has been left with life-threatening injuries after being run over during an assault.

The victim, who is in her 40s, was attacked on Victory Road in Sunderland at about 05:00 BST on Wednesday.

She was then struck by a vehicle which fled the scene, Northumbria Police said.

Three men and two women have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The victim was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle for treatment, where she remains in a critical condition.

A 59-year-old man and a woman, 28, have been arrested on suspicion of assault.

Two men, aged 40 and 54, and a 26-year-old woman have also been arrested on suspicion of affray.

'Isolated incident'

Det Insp Mark Atherton has asked witnesses to come forward, stressing any "information could prove key".

"Our investigation remains at an early stage, but we believe this to be an isolated incident, and a dedicated team of officers is following various lines of enquiry," he said.

"We are committed to ensuring those responsible for inflicting the woman’s injuries are brought to justice."