A 71-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted in a Harrow Weald launderette following a “dramatic” scene where bystanders crowded round to watch.

Police were called at 6.30pm on Sunday to the shop, simply called Launderette, in Long Elmes working their way through a crowd of people before arresting a 51-year-old woman on suspicion of common assault.

An eyewitness told getwestlondon : “There were 20, maybe 30 people watching. It was a big crowd and very dramatic. It is not the kind of thing you expect to see going on in your local launderette. Everyone was so shocked.”

The suspect has been bailed until an undisclosed date in September and the police’s inquiries continue.