THREE women have been assaulted by men on three separate occasions in the past two months.

Police are appealing for witnesses following three assaults they believe are linked.

On three occasions in August and September three women, two aged 19 and one 20-year-old were assaulted in Thame.

Two incidents involved men punching the victims in the face - the third saw one man grab a mother's push chair.

Neighbourhood patrols have been stepped up in the area.

The first incident took place on August 21 between 2.30am and 2.45am. The victim, a 19 year-old woman, had been with friends in Thame. 

As she was walking home, along Phoenix Trail, she was punched to her left eye. Police say when she turned around, she saw four men running away, and laughing. 

The assault caused bruising and swelling underneath the victim's left eye.

The second assault took place on August 22 at about 9.10pm. 

The victim, a 20 year-old woman, was walking along Gas Alley which links East Street and Wellington Street. 

She walked past two men, one of which touched her on the shoulder causing her to turn around.  When she did so, the second man punched in her eye.

The men ran from the alley in the direction of Wellington Street, and the victim heard them laughing.  The victim was not injured and did not require hospital treatment. 

A 19 year-old woman, was walking along an alleyway off Elms Road with her four-month-old child in a pushchair on September 15 where she was grabbed by a man.

A second mand grabbed the pushchair but a both ran away towards Elm Park when disturbed by a member of the public between 9pm and 9.20pm.

PC Gemma Price, based at Thame Police station, said: "We are linking these three incidents because of the similarities in the accounts of the victims.

"We are keen to hear from anyone who has any information that will help our investigation, including residents that live in the vicinity of the incidents that have CCTV. 

"We would especially like to speak to the member of the public who disturbed the most recent incident; we don't believe she realised at the time that she was witnessing an assault.

"If you were in the Elms Road area at about 9pm on the evening of the Thame Fair, were holding a torch, and saw two men, a woman and a pushchair please call us on 101.

"We are increasing patrols in Thame and would encourage anyone who feels concerned about these incidents to speak to one of our officers, or to call the Thame Neighbourhood Policing team on 101."