A Good Samaritan who intervened in a dispute ended up being attacked for her trouble.

Police are now appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward as they investigate the nasty assault at Littlemoor in Weymouth in the middle of the afternoon.

Officers said at 2.30pm last Friday two women went to intervene in an altercation between a man and a woman in the alleyway that runs between Primula Close and Louviers Road.

The man responded by turning on one of them, pushing her and taking her phone before making off up Louviers Road.

The women flagged down a car as they went after him and got them to block the offender’s path at the entrance to Alamanda Road.

The offender turned around and punched one of the women, causing her to fall back and hit her head on the pavement.

The women were able to get the phone back but the man then left.

The man is described as white, aged in his early 20s, with short dark hair. He was wearing a black North Face baseball cap, black puffa jacket and black trousers.

The woman who was punched, aged in her 40s, was left with swelling to her cheekbone and had to go to hospital for an assessment to her head injury.

PC Tom Arnold, of Weymouth police, said: “We are continuing to investigate this incident and I am appealing for any witnesses to contact us. We are particularly keen to speak to the motorist who was driving a silver vehicle, possibly a Vauxhall, who assisted the women by stopping the offender at the entrance to Alamanda Road. It is believed the driver was a woman with blonde hair.

“The number 2 bus was also passing at the time of the incident and it is possible someone on the bus may have seen what happened.”

Contact police on 101 quoting occurrence number 55190009383.