A woman who claims she was the victim of a sexual assault bit off her attacker’s tongue and handed it in to police as evidence.

The 57-year-old woman said she was walking her dog at 4am on Sunday 19 February in Avignon, France, when a man in his 30s started following her.

He reportedly approached her, attempted to forcefully hug and kiss her while also slipping his hands down her trousers. 

After a struggle, the woman bit off the aggressor’s tongue and returned home.

She and her son then handed it in to the local police station.

Officers went to the scene and arrested the man, who is originally from Tunisia and said to be living in France illegally.

The man, who faces immediate trial and is obliged to leave France, reportedly told officials that the woman was the one who had attacked him, according to France Bleu.