POLICE hunting a serial sex attacker fear he may have struck eight times.

A girl of 13 has told detectives she had to fight off a man in Foxholes Road, Rochdale, on February 2 - four months before seven other alleged attacks took place.

It is feared he may be the same man who is thought to have pounced this month on the other young women and girls aged 11 to 23.

A police spokesman said: "We are linking this other incident to the seven that occurred earlier this month."

Officers began investigating two weeks ago following reports of seven sex attacks in the town.

The first attack to be reported happened on June 1 when a girl of 12 was indecently assaulted by a man who had followed her along Halifax Road in Smallbridge.

There were two attacks in Red Lane within 15 minutes of each other on June 3.

Assaulted

A 17-year-old girl was dragged towards some bushes but managed to run away.

Then a girl of 14 was indecently assaulted. The attacker also tried to drag her into the bushes.

The fourth victim, aged 22, was attacked in Balderstone Road as she was returning from a night out on June 5.

Later the same day, two 11-year-old girls were attacked near Cronkeyshaw Common.

And just under four hours later, the man pounced on another victim, a 23-year-old woman walking her dog along Louise Street in Smallbridge.

The attacker knocked her to the ground before indecently assaulting her. Police now say a girl of 13 has reported being attacked in Foxholes Road at 7.30am on February 2.

She said she was approached by a man who hugged her before indecently assaulting her.

Suspiciously

She hit him before running away. The man gave chase but she managed to escape.

And a 54-year-old woman has also told police a man was acting suspiciously around her as she walked along Halifax Road on June 3.

Girls and women are being urged not to go out alone.

Detectives released an e-fit of a man they want to question earlier this month.

They said the attacker was white, aged about 19, between 5ft 8 and 5ft 9 tall, slim with short, brown hair.

He had a spotty, pock-marked complexion and a ring or bar piercing his right eyebrow.

Anyone with information should call Rochdale CID on 0161 856 8543 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Can you help find the attacker?