DETECTIVES were last night trying to solve the mystery of a woman found seriously injured outside a Hampshire bank.

Police launched a major inquiry yesterday after the woman was discovered slumped beside the entrance to Lloyds TSB in Lyndhurst High Street just after 5.30am.

The 51-year-old was taken to Southampton General Hospital with what police described as a serious head injury.

Detectives are trying to establish if the woman was assaulted or fell and hit her head.

The Daily Echo understands she was staying at the Fox and Hounds, directly opposite the bank, but staff refused to discuss the incident and referred all media inquiries to the police.

Detectives think she might have fallen from a window and either walked or crawled to the bank.

A man on his way to work found her in the entrance to the bank’s lobby, which contains a cashpoint machine and is open 24 hours a day.

Shopkeepers arrived for work a few hours later to find the bank cordoned off and several police vehicles parked outside.

Police described the woman as being of no fixed address but said she was found with a room key in her pocket.

Det Sgt Andy Lupton of Lyndhurst CID said: “At this stage it is not clear how the woman’s injury was caused.

“We are carrying out a number of inquiries to confirm whether a crime has taken place or whether the woman fell and was unable to get help.”

The bank is next door to the teddy bear shop Paws in the Forest, run by Maggie Parma and her husband John.

Mrs Parma said: “I got a bit of a fright when I got here at 9am and saw all the tape. I thought someone had broken into my shop.”

Ring Lyndhurst CID on 0845 045 4545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0845 045 4545.