A man in his 20s has been arrested following an assault and a standoff which lasted four hours in Mallow in Co Cork.

The incident began at around 2am this morning when a woman, aged in her 20s, contacted gardaí after she escaped from a house in Sandfield Terrace in the town.

She was taken to Cork University Hospital and treated for serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Gardaí went to the house but the lone occupant - a man in his 20s - refused to come out and a standoff lasting several hours ensued.

The man was persuaded to give himself up at around 6.30am and he was arrested and taken to Mallow garda station for questioning.