A POLICE officer suffered bite wounds and three others were injured as they tried to arrest a violent attacker in a North Yorkshire market town, police said.

Trouble flared in Pickering town centre when an officer went to help a man with facial injuries.

Inspector Terry Scaife said: "An ambulance was called and it became apparent the man had been assaulted. The assailant was approached by the officer and reacted violently.

"The officer called for assistance and three officers responded. The man assaulted all four officers before he was subdued."

Police said one of the officers was bitten on the leg. He was given a tetanus injection in hospital and later released.

Two officers suffered facial and head injuries while the other suffered a cut to the hand. All were treated in hospital but not detained.

The man who was originally assaulted was taken to Scarborough Hospital, where he was treated for a suspected broken nose and injuries to his teeth.

The violence broke out shortly after midnight yesterday.

Pickering West district councillor Natalie Warriner, a former town mayor, said violent incidents were rare in Pickering and across Ryedale, but served to raise the fear of crime among the area's older residents.

Coun Warriner said: "I am appalled that police officers acting in the line of duty have been assaulted in this way."

Updated: 10:32 Monday, March 29, 2004