Police investigating a home invasion in the South Otago township of Kaka Point say they are still piecing together what happened, including if a weapon was used in the assault.
Two men are being sought in connection with the attack just before 6pm on Sunday, which left a 65-year-old woman woman with serious facial injuries and a fractured skull.
The woman is in a stable condition in Dunedin Public Hospital on Monday.
Detective Sergeant Kate Bartlett says the pair are thought to be Maori or Polynesian, up to 180 centimetres tall, and with slim, muscular builds.
They are thought to be aged between 18 and 20, and to have intended to rob the woman.
Ms Bartlett says some media have reported that a plank of wood was used as a weapon, but police have not confirmed whether a weapon was involved.
A forensic examination team with members from Mosgiel and Dunedin was conducting a scene examination of the woman's home on Monday.
Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the men fleeing Kaka Point, and in particular they want to find a man driving a white ute with a quad bike on the back.
