A Newcastle man has been arrested after allegedly attacking a suspected burglar in the early hours of Saturday.

Police said they found two men detaining a 34-year-old on a street in the Hamilton area after getting reports of a fight.

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Initial investigations suggested the 34-year-old had broken into the home of one of the men and attempted to steal from him.

A 33-year-old man allegedly attacked the suspected thief, who was taken to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.

The younger man was treated for facial injuries before being charged with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.

He was granted conditional bail and is due to appear in Newcastle Local Court next month.

The other man, who is thought to have helped detain the suspected thief, was not charged.