Detectives are hunting a handbag snatcher who is targeting elderly women and escaping on a mountain bike.

Officers have warned a spate of incidents in and around Worthing town centre could be linked to a white youth aged in his late teens. He is slim and has dark hair.

The thief is believed to have injured himself and damaged his bike after being run over as he was making his getaway from one of his most recent thefts.

Sergeant Ian Kerr said: "The offences have occurred mainly in the town centre and our town centre team and all district officers are on alert.

"We are investigating the offences, which could be linked, and residents can be assured that should another offence occur we will send every available resource to the area in order to catch the thief and bring him to justice."

In the latest incident, at 1.40pm last Wednesday, a young man approached an 89-year-old woman as she walked back to her home having just left the Co-op store in Newlands Road.

The man snatched her red leather purse from her basket and ran off.

He was last seen heading north through the subway to Ivy Arch Road.

On September 7, at about 9.45pm, a pensioner was approached from behind by a man who snatched her handbag at the junction of Manor Road and Boundary Road.

She had earlier seen him with another man on a park bench at the junction of Manor Road and Rowlands Road.

He was aged about 20 and was about 5ft 8in. He was slight and had short dark hair, a slim face and a pale complexion.

He was wearing a light blue shirt and dark trousers.

A police spokesman said: "Police made a search of the area following this theft and are concentrating their patrols where possible in the area affected.

"The description of the offender is similar each time and it is possible we are looking for the same person."

On September 4, at 11.48am, a pensioner was walking home at the junction of Clifton Road and Richmond Road when a white man cycled up behind her on the inside of the pavement and snatched her handbag from her left hand.

He continued his journey up Clifton Road before being hit by a van, causing him to drop the bag.

He is thought to have been injured and was seen running off limping. His bike was damaged and had a buckled rear wheel.

On August 28, at about 4pm, another elderly woman was walking home from the town centre in Tarring Road and was just about to turn into Howard Street when a white man on a bicycle came up behind her, again on the inside of the pavement, and snatched her black shopping bag from her left shoulder.

The man continued his journey down Howard Street and the woman lost sight of him.

On August 25, at 9.45am, a pensioner was riding her bike in Cambridge Road and was approached from behind by a man on a mountain bike.

The man tried to snatch her handbag, which was secured to her bicycle in a front basket.

The thief did not get the bag but in the struggle the victim fell off her bike and injured her arm.

On August 23, at 11am, a 94-year-old woman had her bag snatched in Clifton Road by a young man on a bike.

The brown leather bag, which had short straps, contained a small amount of cash and house keys.

Witnesses should call PC Simon Thorne on 0845 6070999.