A SEX fiend has targeted six women in a series of attacks in Colne and Padiham.

Officers are appealing for witnesses to the four separate incidents.

The first happened in Keighley Road, Colne, at about 10.45pm on Friday, June 13 as a 17-year-old girl was walking home.

She was approached by a man in a car who pulled up beside her and committed an indecent act before driving off.

Two days later, on Sunday, three further offences were committed in Padiham by a driver police believe was the same man. The first happened in Moor Lane near St Leonard's Church at about 10.50pm as a 17-year-old girl was walking along the road, the second an hour later as two women walked in Thompson Street and the third at midnight as two women in their 20s walked in Green Lane.

In all three cases the man approached the women in a car before committing the indecency.

Det Con Mike Harvey, of Burnley CID, said: "We are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area of these incidents in the days before or after they occurred, or anyone who may have been a victim of similar incidents themselves.

"We know the offender was driving a car at the time and we are treating these incidents as linked."

Anyone with information should call Burnley CID on 01282 472142 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

* A man arrested and interviewed in connection with the incidents has been released on bail.