DETECTIVES are hunting a brazen sex attacker indecently assaulted a six-year-old girl as she walked home from school with friends in Canterbury. Less than an hour later a man with the same description exposed himself by the children's swimming pool at the city's Kingsmead Leisure Centre.

Police are now appealing for witnesses after the girl was attacked between 3.50pm and 4.01pm in Forty Acres Road on Thursday. She had run ahead of her parents into an alleyway with other children when a man grabbed her and carried out the attack.

Her friends managed to escape and run back to the parents but the suspect had fled before the adults reached the alleyway. The attacker is described as white, aged 20 to 30 with dark hair, wearing a green shirt, black trousers and a black jacket.

Between 5.05pm and 5.15pm a man of similar description was seen exposing himself against a window at the leisure centre. Staff went to give chase but again the suspect had disappeared.

Det Sgt Graeme Dinsdale, investigating the incidents, said: "What is worrying is that the man was not deterred by the fact there was a group of children or even that their parents may have been nearby at the time.

"I am keen to hear from anyone that was in the area of Forty Acres Road or near the Kingsmead Leisure Centre on Thursday afternoon and may have seen the suspects.

Anybody with information is asked to call Canterbury CID on 01227 817154.