A teenager has appeared in court charged with the attempted murder of three women in unprovoked attacks over a three-week period.

The 17-year-old boy, from the Hilsea area of Portsmouth, appeared at Fareham Youth Court to face the charges as well as possession of a bladed article.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Winchester Crown Court on Wednesday July 30.

The first attack took place at 10.40pm on Friday June 20, when a 20-year-old woman was approached from behind and assaulted while walking along Southampton Road in Portsmouth.

She suffered a stab injury to the chest, which was serious but not life-threatening.

In the second incident, a 45-year-old woman was approached along the shoreline of Ports Creek in Hilsea on Sunday June 29. She suffered a stab wound to her chest, while her assailant ran off towards Hilsea Lines.

Police were called to the third incident shortly after 1pm last Friday to a report of an assault on a 66-year-old woman who was walking in an alleyway between Colwell Road and Northern Road in Cosham.

The woman was treated for her injury at hospital and was released later the same day.

A Hampshire Police spokesman said increased high-visibility police patrols in Portsmouth would continue to ''provide reassurance and factual updates'' to the public.