Customers shopping at the Warehouse at Eastgate have described a horrific attack on a man by a woman using a hammer.

A police spokeswoman said police were making inquiries to locate the woman following an assault at premises on Russell Street.

The attack happened just after 5pm.

An eyewitness told Chris Lynch a man in his 60s was shouting for help, while a woman in her 30s was standing over him.

“He yelled “get her away” and she just hit him with a hammer on his temple.”

Another customer a couple of aisles across from the incident said he was grabbing toilet paper and washing powder when he heard someone yelling for help.

“I ran around and there were a couple of people just standing there.

There was a guy on the ground who had been hit with a hammer and a woman waving her arms around.

She looked like she was going to take another swing, so I screamed at her telling her to f*** off.

She ran away, so I chased after her. I grabbed olive oil bottles to throw at her.”

The customer said, “security did not do anything.”

I spoke to the security officer after she ran out of the store and offered to pay for the bottles that were broken and help clean up, but they said that I didn’t have to do that.”

Another eyewitness said the man had “lots of blood above his eye.”

Police arrived 15 minutes later along with St John Ambulance.

Police were asked if a weapon was used during the attack, but they were unable to comment.

A St John Ambulance Communications spokesman said one patient was transported to Christchurch hospital with moderate injuries.

The Warehouse has been approached for comment.