DETECTIVES hunting a man who sexually assaulted a schoolgirl in Burnley now believe he was responsible for a second offence.

Police are now linking an incident in Lower Tentre, at around 8.30am on Wednesday, with an earlier episode on the subway between Gala Bingo and Burnley bus station underneath Centenary Way.

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In the Lower Tentre case, a 14-year-old girl was grabbed around the waist. She shouted and he ran off, according to police.

The earlier incident, saw a 13-year-old girl was approached from behind by a man.

He said to have grabbed her arm and then put his hand up her skirt and touched her bottom. But he fled after he was disturbed.

He was seen a short time later appearing to follow a second school-girl.

The man is described as white, possibly eastern European, around 6ft tall, with short dark hair.

He was wearing a khaki green parka coat with a fur hood and white drawstrings, black trousers and white trainers and he was carrying a distinctive black and white rucksack with a camouflage design.

Det Sgt Paul Barlow, of Burnley CID, said: "Both of these incidents are extremely sinister and I would appeal for anyone who knows who this man may be to get in touch with us.

"We are treating these crimes extremely seriously and we maintain uniform patrols in the area to reassure people."

Anyone with information should contact police on the non-emergency number 101 quoting log number 0403 of Tuesday, December 6 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers.org