POLICE have launched a major search for clues to the attempted murder of a mother-of- four who was found naked with severe head injuries on a bridleway near East Meon.

Vivien Watson (43), from Southbourne, near Emsworth, was found at 8-25 am on Tuesday, half a mile west of HMS Mercury.

She was discovered by a dog walker who thought she was dead.

As The Herald went to press, a spokesperson for Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham described the victim's condition as "poorly but stable".

Mrs Watson was discovered on a track near the Monarch's Way footpath at Chidden Down.

Police received a call from the dog walker on her mobile phone. Staff at the Bat and Ball pub were asked for a duvet to cover the woman, who was badly injured and naked.

A detective gave first aid at the scene before Mrs Watson was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Her husband, Martin, visited the intensive care department at the hospital on Tuesday evening to discover that his wife had been severely battered.

Police described the attack as brutal and are appealing to the public to come forward with any information.

Pauline Davey from Hampshire Police said: "Mrs Watson's injuries are very serious. She was unconscious at the scene and, as far as I know, she has been unconscious ever since.

"We haven't had a chance to talk to her yet and I don't think she will be in any state for us to interview her for a while.

"We are now conducting a massive search of the area where Mrs Watson was found. I think we have about 20 officers on the case.

"It is a difficult process because it is such a large area. Normally we would be conducting house-to-house interviews but there are very few houses in that area."

She added: "We will be speaking to friends and family to find out as much as we can about Vivien Watson.

"Our aim will be to build a picture of her life, so we can find where she might have gone and who she might have seen.

"We really need to start finding out what happened to her in the time she went missing. So far we have found nothing of any significance and no real leads.

"This is why we are putting out this massive appeal to the public for any information that may help us with this."

Mrs Watson was last seen by relatives at noon on Monday. Police say they had no reports that she had gone missing.

Pauline Davey said: "I think her husband thought she was with friends. He spoke to her in the morning."

Officers are now trying to piece together her movements before the attack and are appealing for anyone who knows Vivien Watson and who saw her at any time on Monday.

Anyone who has any information that may help police with their enquiries should contact the major incident room at Fratton police station on 0845 0454545 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.