Two women punched in Brighton as they made their way to work

Police said one of the women was punched in an attack around 7am in the Coombe Road area, and another was attacked and robbed of her bag shortly after.

The first incident, at 7am, took place when a 22-year-old woman was walking from Fitch Drive into Willingdon Road.

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A man walking in the opposite direction then followed her before grabbing her and pulling her to the ground, police said.

He punched her several times and then ran off back to the path through the woods leading to Fitch Drive, according to officers.

Then shortly after 7am another woman, a 24-year-old, was walking near to the Meadow View Community Centre when she was approached by a man who asked for a cigarette. She said she didn’t smoke, and although he tried to talk to her again, she carried on walking.

Police said in Coombe Road, near to the school, the man punched her, grabbed her bag, and told her he had a knife.

He grabbed her hand and walked with her a short distance before she managed to flag down a passing car. He left the area with her yellow bag, police said.

Detective Inspector Simon Morgan said: “We believe these incidents on Tuesday morning are linked and although the descriptions differ slightly, they are similar.

“They both happened in the same area, only a short walk apart. We are treating them as robberies and both women suffered injuries and one needed to be checked over at hospital.

“The Coombe Road area is very busy with people at this time of the morning and we appealing to anyone who might have seen anything which could help.

“We would particularly like to speak to motorists on Coombe Road who might have seen the victim but not realised what was happening and didn’t stop. Also any residents who might have looked out of their window and seen something which could help.”

The first man was described as 5’ 7”, thin build wearing a dark jacket, with the hood up and a scarf pulled up around his face. He was wearing black gloves with plastic pads on the fingers.

The second man was described as a similar height and black, wearing a green zipped up hoody with the hood up and dark baggy trousers. He wore new, hi-top style trainers.

Anyone with information or who witnessed anything is asked to contact police online quoting Operation Kinloss.