AN assault in Eccleston on Saturday night is being linked to two other incidents in January in which dog walkers were attacked.

Police were called to Church Lane at around 7.55pm after a report was made that a man was assaulted by a suspect wearing a dark coloured bubble jacket.

A man was arrested by police on Gunning Avenue and taken into custody on suspicion of assault and committing a public order offence.

A 19-year-old from St Helens has since been released under investigation.

The attack on Saturday follows an assault at around 10.30pm on Friday, January 10 when a man in his 40s was walking his dog near to Bobbies Lane and Griffin Close when he passed a man.

The man ran up to the victim and punched him in the stomach, before running away.

A second incident happened two days later at around 9.30pm on Sunday, January 12 on Church Walk.

On this occasion, the man in his 40s was walking his dog and was approached by a man who told him to stop his dog barking.

The man then ran towards the victim and pushed him, before again running off.

In both incidents in January, the suspect was described as 6ft tall and wearing dark clothes.

In the first incident, the suspect was wearing a black baseball cap pulled down over his face and a dark blue jacket.

In the second incident, the suspect was wearing a black bubble jacket and had everything but his eyes covered.

A 19-year-old man was arrested in connection with the two assaults in January and released under investigation.

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Detective Chief Inspector Craig Sumner said: “We are taking a robust stance on these incidents in the Eccleston area over the last few months and trying to develop community intelligence around them.

"We suspect that the incidents may be linked and have already made arrests in connection with them; our investigations continue.

"Residents in the Eccleston and Windle area will have seen more officers and I am providing patrols in marked and plain vehicles to provide some reassurance there.

"We would encourage members of the community to keep talking to us and telling us about any similar incidents in the area so that we can continue to take an appropriately measured approach in investigating any reports."

If you have any information contact police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.