A town is being plagued by acts of violence which have seen people attacked and robbed.

Sussex Police said they are aware of growing concerns over “unprovoked violence” and “threats of violence” in Horsham and are taking action to “disrupt and deter” this behaviour.

Only last weekend a 39-year-old man was arrested and then bailed for possession of a knife in Bishopric Road and a racially aggravated assault at The Lynd Cross.

Another of several violent incidents police have had to deal with in recent weeks saw two men and two women assaulted by youths in Middle Street on January 14.

This led to a 16-year-old boy from Crawley being detained for a search, but no weapons were found on his person and enquiries continue.

On 22 December, a 15-year-old was robbed of his designer jacket in Horsham Park.

The following day, a 17-year-old boy from Billingshurst was arrested in connection with the offence; he was bailed, and the investigation is ongoing.

Dispersal notices continue to be handed out to individuals and police have stepped up patrols.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "We are aware of growing concerns of unprovoked violence – and threats of violence – in Horsham, and we want to reassure the public that we are taking action to disrupt and deter this behaviour.

"We have listened to the community’s concern and have increased our resources in the area as a result, including over last weekend when we issued a dispersal order, aimed to prevent groups from gathering and committing offences.

“We continue to work closely with partners including Horsham District Council, the community and businesses to understand what the issues are, who is responsible, and how we can work together to address these issues.

“We understand that there is a lot of media speculation about this behaviour and we would discourage anyone from considering taking matters into their own hands. 

“We need the community to report incidents through to us so we can gather intelligence and ensure our resources are in the right place at the right time to prevent, detect and respond to crime and ensure Horsham remains a safe space for everyone.

“You can report it online or call 101, or in an emergency, dial 999.”