POLICE are investigating a host of "suspicious incidents" including a man exposing himself to teenagers.

Unusual activity reported in the past fortnight includes a man coming out of the bushes and reaching for a four-year-old girl's arm.

Detectives are trying to see whether four separate incidents in Gosport are linked.

On Wednesday May 11 several teenagers reported a flasher in Stanley Park.

Then last Thursday, May 19, at around 5pm, a 28-year-old woman was walking with her daughter, aged four, on the cycle track close to Toronto Place. A man came out of the bushes and reached out his arm towards the girl before running off. No contact was made and nothing was said.

The previous Sunday, May 15, a nine-year-old girl reported that a man riding a mountain bike spoke to her briefly in the Kings Road area. No contact was made, she was not hurt and she ran home.

Police have also stepped up patrols in Alverstoke after reports of suspicious activity in Green Lane, Bay road and Anglesey Road.

Hampshire Constabulary are speaking to a "number of individuals" in relation to the probe and say descriptions of the men "vary dramatically".

Inspector Mark Hull said: "I'm pleased that people are reporting incidents of suspicious behaviour to us. We have already identified that some of these reports are based on gossip and rumour and in many cases there could be a perfectly innocent explanation where no criminal activity is involved.

"The varying descriptions given to us of the people that could have been involved suggest that not all of these reports are linked, and with lighter evenings it may be that areas such as the town's many cycle tracks are used more frequently by people who may spot something unusual.

"I would like to take this opportunity to remind people to report any suspicious incidents as quickly as possible by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency".

Anyone who saw suspicious activity around Toronto Place on May 19 should call 101 and ask for the duty detective sergeant at Fratton, quoting crime reference number 44160188184.