Couple in bed hit by crowbar

Police hope a Tauranga couple attacked early today with a crowbar as they slept may be able to give some clues about their attacker when they recover.

The couple were attacked in their McClymont Place, central Tauranga, house by an intruder during a home invasion.

The 54-year-old man suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on his brain and was in a stable condition in Tauranga Hospital. His partner, 32, had a cut to the head and was treated and discharged.

Police hoped to talk to the couple tonight about the attack, detective sergeant Eddie Lyttle said.

Police were unsure how many times the victims were hit.

"The intruder came in and smacked them on the head, which woke them up, and demanded money.''

Until police spoke to the couple and did a property search, they were unsure what had been taken.

Police appealed for anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area about 3am today to contact them.

The attacker was possibly Maori, aged between 18 and 25 years, of medium to large build and about 1.83 metres tall.

He was wearing a light coloured hooded coat.