A young Zimbabwe man who raped a 72-year-old woman was arrested after he was caught by neighbours fast asleep and naked inside her house, state media reported.

According to the Herald newspaper, Strive Vhune, 26, broke into the elderly woman's house in the southeastern district of Chivi, raped her, then fell asleep.

The woman went out to alert neighbours who caught him on the scene naked and handed him to the police.

"The suspect fell asleep soon after raping the woman who then took advantage and alerted neighbours who managed to apprehend him after he fled from the bedroom hut while stark naked," police spokesman Tineyi Matake told the Herald.

"Vhune is in custody while police finalise investigations and he will appear in court soon," Matake said.