Woman attacked while children sleep

A Dunedin woman was attacked at her home twice last night while her young children slept.

The 31-year-old was assaulted by a man outside her Argyle Street house in suburban Mornington about 10.40pm, suffering a facial injury.

She answered her front door about 15 minutes later expecting to see her boyfriend, when the man who assaulted her earlier forced his way in and sexually assaulted her, Senior Sergeant Kallum Croudis of Dunedin police said.

Her children, aged four and six, were asleep inside the house at the time.

The woman called police and was taken to Dunedin Hospital.

The woman had since been released from hospital and was interviewed by police this afternoon.

It appeared she did not know the men, Mr Croudis said.

The woman's house had been cordoned off and a scene examination was being carried out today.

Police were seeking two men seen walking along Argyle Street about 10.30pm.

The man believed to be responsible for the attacks was described as a Maori of stocky build and 1.7m tall, about 28 years old with short curly black hair and wearing blue jeans and a hoodie.

The other man was described as a Caucasian with shaggy blond hair, of a similar age and slightly taller than his companion.

- NZPA