Police are seeking a woman following an assault on a teenager in Hastings last weekend.

Detective Sergeant Heath Jones said the attack on a 14-year-old girl happened about 7pm on June 24 in Heretaunga St West.

Jones said the girl and her friend walked past a group of youths sitting near the fountain, when an unknown female emerged from the group and knocked the 14-year-old to the ground.

“The unknown female chased the victim down the street and continued to assault her. A member of the public stepped in to stop the assault,” he said.

“Police are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and to identify the unknown female offender.”

The offending female was described as having had her hair tied back with a white scrunchy and was wearing a black puffer jacket over a long-sleeve black adidas top.

She is said to have been wearing white adidas stripes running down the sleeves, blue distressed jeans with rips at the knees, and orange Nike shoes.

“We are asking anyone who knows the female, or who witnessed the incident, to get in touch with police as soon as possible,” Jones said.

The attack comes after a spate of youth-related crime and assaults in Hastings during the past few weeks.

A 14-year-old was at the centre of an investigation into several recent assaults in central Hastings and has been charged with three separate assaults spanning the past few months that targeted vulnerable members of the community.

Police also allege the teen had several accomplices, aged 12 and 13.

It is unknown if this is linked in any way to the incident on June 24.

Police are asking anyone with information on last Saturday’s incident to contact them via 105, quoting file number 230626/3984.

Information can also be passed anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.