A POLICE officer was taken to hospital after an alleged assault on Portland.

A 44-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting the police officer yesterday. The officer suffered an injury to his finger.

A Dorset Police spokeswoman said: "At around 12.30pm in Victory Road on Portland officers arrested a 44-year-old man from the local area on suspicion of assault, occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating of an emergency worker.

"He is currently assisting officers with their enquiries. One of the officers attended hospital for treatment to an injury to his finger. The officer was injured during the incident."

Simon Musk, landlord at The Little Ship Pub in Chiswell said he saw officers waiting inside a police car before the arrest was made.

He said: "At first I saw police officer waiting inside a 4x4 police car around noon on Pebble Lane.

"Then another three police cars showed up - it all happened really fast."

Chiswell homeowner Ann Green said: "In total there were about four police cars parked up.

"I saw officers head down Lerret Ope just next to the Chiswell Walled Garden.

"Police were there for under an hour. I saw them put a man in the back of a police van.

"It's weird because you don't usually see things like that happen around here. It's very quiet."