Man quizzed over serial attacks

Ten attacks were carried out on women and teenage girls in Hastings

A man has been arrested and is being questioned about a series of violent attacks on women in a seaside town.

Sussex Police said the arrest followed an attack on a 38-year-old woman on a quiet footpath in Hastings on Sunday night.

The woman needed hospital treatment for her injuries, officers said.

A spokesman for the force said a 26-year-old local man was being questioned about the assault "and other similar attacks" in the East Sussex town.

He said Sunday night's attack happened just after 2200 BST on a footpath leading from St Helen's Road to St Helen's Crescent.

£10,000 reward

Detectives are investigating 10 attacks as part of Operation Medium.

The first of the attacks, all on women and teenage girls aged between 16 and 33, was in June 2007 and the most recent was in May.

Officers said the attacker would strike between 2100 and 0300 and there appeared to be no sexual motive and nothing stolen.

Last month, police revealed they were also looking at six further incidents that had not been formally linked, but had "striking similarities".

And a further five offences were also being explored, stretching back to 2006, officers said.

A £10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction has been offered by police and Crimestoppers.