An elderly man has ended in hospital after being savagely attacked in his Ashburton home

Police are appealing for information about a man who entered a property on West Street near Racecourse Road between 10:45 and 11 on Thursday night.

Detective Craig Clare says the man then attacked the 73-year-old victim before fleeing.

He says the man's around six feet tall, medium build, wearing a light-coloured hoodie with the hood up over his head.

Police would like to speak to anyone who saw the man or captured him on a dash camera in the area at the time.