A MAN was taken to hospital after being attacked inside a South Tyneside guest house.
Emergency services were called to Beach Road in South Shields, at 1.11pm yesterday.
It is understood the man, who is in his 30s, was visiting a friend at the guest house when he was assaulted.
A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of wounding and is helping police with their inquiries.
The injured man was taken by ambulance to South Tyneside District Hospital for treatment.
An eyewitness said: “I heard all the sirens from the ambulance and the police cars.
“Beach Road is busy at the best of times, but you could tell something was going on.
“Someone I know went over to have a look, and said that the man was covered in quite a bit of blood, but he walked to the ambulance.”
Initial reports suggested the man had been stabbed, but police are still investigating how his injuries were caused.
A spokeswoman for North East Ambulance Service said: “We were called to a guest house in South Shields at 1.11pm yesterday, after receiving reports that a man had been stabbed.
“We left the scene at 1.40pm and the patient was taken to South Tyneside District Hospital’s A&E Department.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.