An efit has today been released of a man detectives are hunting over seven reported attacks on women in Whitstable over the course of eight months.

Police are investigating links between the alleged assaults - which include one on an 88-year-old woman and range from indecent exposure to sexual assault.

Now an efit has been released of the man, described as stocky, shaven-headed, and between 40 and 50.

Officers are now urging any other potential victims to come forward, after three women reported assaults on Tuesday..

The first three offences took place on the evening of January 27 - within 45 minutes of each other.

In the first, between 6.25pm and 6.45pm, a man was seen walking down Grimshill Road near the junction with Gosselin Street.

He was seen indecently exposing himself by two girls - who turned and walked in the opposite direction.

But the man followed - grabbing one of the girls by the neck from behind, pushing her into a hedge and punching her in the head. She had a minor injury, but didn't need hospital treatment.

Then, at 6pm, a woman reported a man touching her inappropriately over her clothing as she walked with her daughter along the Crab and Winkle Line.

Finally, a 42-year-old woman reported being pushed off her bike in Stream Walk, Whitstable, between 6.30pm and 6.35pm, causing bruisng to her arm and shoulder.

Then, on Saturday, June 14, a 26-year-old woman was walking along the Crab and Winkle Line when a man walked up to her and punched her in the face.

She fell back into some bushes and the suspect continued to hit her, before running off through a graveyard.

Yesterday, police were told of three alleged attacks.

At 1.40pm an 88-year-old woman was approached from behind when she was walking through an alleyway that joins Cromwell and Acton Roads.

She claims she was touched inappropriately, with the man also trying to take her handbag. He then ran off.

Later, at 3.15pm, a woman was cycling along the Crab and Winkle Line, opposite the cemetery, when a man is said to have grabbed her inappropriately from behind.

Just half an hour later a woman reported a similar attack along the Crab and Winkle Way towards a supermarket.

"We are aware of several similarities and several differences in the nature of the offences and the descriptions given of the offender..." _ DI Max Davidson

The attacker wore a dark or grey-coloured hooded top and sported a Celtic-style tattoo around the base of the right-hand thumb.

In one instance he was said to be wearing camouflage-style trousers.

Det Insp Max Davidson said the investigation was very much a live one.

He added: "We are aware of several similarities and several differences in the nature of the offences and the descriptions given of the offender.

"However, at this stage we are not formally linking the attacks and are keeping an open mind."

He said police were stepping up their presences in the Whitstable area.

Anyone with information should contact DI Davidson on 01843 222069.