Suffolk Police hunt for victim's phone and pink jacket after Brantham dog-walker murder attempt
Police investigating the attempted murder of a dog walker who was left for dead on a rural footpath have revealed they are searching for the victim's phone and a jacket she is thought to have been wearing.
The woman in her 50s was discovered with serious head injuries on an isolated footpath in the village of Brantham in south Suffolk early on Wednesday morning.
She was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where she remains in a critical condition and sedated 24 hours later, said Suffolk Police.
Police said on Thursday they are trying to trace the woman's mobile phone - an Apple iPhone - and a pink or red zip-up jacket they believe she was wearing when she went for her walk.
No arrests have been made, though detectives from the joint major investigation team at Norfolk and Suffolk Police have moved to reassure residents.
Det Supt Mike Brown said: "It's very concerning for us and we are working really hard at the moment to understand how the victim's injuries have occurred.
"The victim does have significant head injuries but at the moment we are unable to say how exactly those have occurred."
Det Supt Brown said treating the attack as an attempted murder would allow police to dedicate extra resources to the investigation, and reassure the public.
Meanwhile, people living in the village remain "in shock" at the attack, said a local councillor.
Alastair McCraw, the Brantham ward councillor on Babergh District Council, told ITV News Anglia: "Everybody is very shocked - that's the only thing you can be in this situation.
"In a community that's had an attack like this happen, and where nobody has been arrested, people are going to be worried, naturally, whether that's appropriate or not."
Mr McCraw urged people not to speculate on social media, and added he believed the police response so far had been "first-rate".
On Thursday, police released new details about the dog walker's movements before she was discovered.
They said she had left her home at around 5am to walk her dog, and was found at about 6.30am by a member of the public who tried to help her and called 999.
The victim's dog, a springer spaniel, was with her when she was found and is safe and well, said police.
An extra police presence is expected in the village over the coming days as more inquiries take place, with more officers in the village.
Searches, forensic inquiries and house-to-house calls will be carried out in the village.
Officers want to speak to anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area of Rectory Lane on Wednesday morning, particularly between the times of 5am and 6.30am.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know