A WOMAN spent almost four hours nursing a serious leg wound after being stabbed near flats in Southend.

Police were called to a block of flats in Victoria Avenue, Southend, at about 6am yesterday after a woman was reportedly assaulted.

However, she could not initially be found and it was not until nearly 10am that an ambulance was called to the scene.

She was eventually treated by the emergency services by the side of the road, outside the flats between Roots Hall and the Pizza Man takeaway.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said he saw the police cars but had not heard a disturbance.

He said: “I saw the police cars at about 8.30am. They were there for quite a while but there didn’t seem to be a huge panic.

“I didn’t think much of it to be honest because there’s always something going on along there.

“I haven’t heard anything about someone being stabbed but hopefully whatever happened everyone is alright.”

The woman’s injury was not life-threatening and a man was arrested on suspicion of assault.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Police were called to Victoria Avenue in Southend shortly after 6am on Thursday following reports that a woman had been assaulted.

“Officers attended and after making some inquiries found the woman who had suffered a cut to her leg.

“A 45-year-old man from Southend was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault.

“He is currently being questioned.”

An ambulance service spokesman said crews attended at the request of police.

He said: “We were called at 9.50am this morning to Victoria Avenue, Southend.

“We sent an ambulance, an ambulance officer, and a rapid response vehicle to the scene.

“We treated one patient at the scene, a woman who is believed to be in her 40s. who had suffered a wound to her leg.

“It didn’t require critical care so it was not a life-threatening injury.

“She was taken to Southend Hospital for further checks and treatment.”

The man had not been charged or released by the time the Echo went to press.