Police believe the same man could be responsible for three sex attacks on lone women in Southampton, within the last 24 hours.

Officers are investigating the allegations of indecent assaults, one of which involved a knife.

The first incident happened at around 10pm on Tuesday, when a 20-year-old woman was approached by an Asian man in Portswood Road. He asked her for directions to the University, before putting his arm around the victim’s waist.

The woman pushed him off and continued walking home, into Grosvenor Road, but the man followed her.

He pushed the woman against a wall and indecently assaulted her.

A second incident then took place less than four hours later, between 1.30am and 2am this morning.

A 19-year-old woman was walking along Bannister Road, when she was grabbed by a man outside a car park of a block of flats called ‘The Lodge.’ He pulled her into a dark and secluded part of a car park, where he indecently assaulted her.

During this assault the victim had an item, which she believed to be a knife, held against her.

The final incident took place between 6.30am and 7am this morning, when a 25-year-old woman was walking alone in Havelock Road, near the Civic Centre.

As she approached the main entrance to the Matalan store, a man grabbed and indecently assaulted her.

Detective Inspector Dave Morgan said: “I am keeping an open mind as to whether these offences have been committed by the same offender or not, and whether they are linked to any previous offences of this type.”

Anyone with information should call Southampton Central police station on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111.