A nurse has been left with "life changing" injuries after she was attacked by a patient.

The NHS worker, in her 40s, was left needing surgery on a fractured leg when a man is said to have strangled her with his walking stick before stamping on and kicking her while she lay unconscious on the hospital floor.

She was working a night shift on the Juniper ward at Darent Valley Hospital, in Dartford, on Monday, February 4, when she saw an elderly man walking around.

The victim believed the man was in the wrong part of the building and offered to take him where he was meant to go, when he attacked.

A female patient who saw the incident intervened and pushed the elderly attacker away before more damage was done.

Two other nurses at the hospital, who wish to remain anonymous, have spoken to KentOnline about the attack.

One said that the man, who was much taller than the victim, held the walking stick so tight it lifted her off the ground and caused her to pass out.

"Workers shouldn't be subjected to violence and possible life changing consequences" a nurse at Darent Valley

He then allegedly kicked and stood on her leg, causing the injury.

One of the anonymous nurses added: "If she was hit on the head she could have died on that floor. It could have been much worse.

"Workers shouldn't be subjected to violence and possible life changing consequences."

While another colleague added: "We had an emergency call put out and no one came to help," before claiming that staff and the victim's partner who had rushed to the hospital had to place her on a nearby bed and wheel her to the A&E department.

The victim was left with a multiple leg fracture after the assault.

Spokesman for the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust Glyn Oakley said: "We are greatly concerned that one of our nurses was attacked whilst carrying out her duties on the ward and we are doing all we can to support her and her family.

"The attack could not have been foreseen and involved an elderly patient.

"Staff acted promptly to protect the nurse from further harm and returned the patient to his bed.

"The circumstances of the attack are being investigated and security measures reviewed. The assault was reported to the police.”

Police spokesman James Walker said: "Police are investigating a report that a member of staff at Darent Valley Hospital was assaulted by a man in a hospital corridor at around 9.30pm on Monday, February 4.

"The victim, a woman, sustained a leg injury and officers are continuing to conduct inquiries to establish the full circumstances."

It comes after revelations last year that 29% of employees at Darent Valley Hospital said they had suffered bullying, harassment or abuse from patients.