Police are investigating a third incident of a woman in Ipswich being inappropriately touched.

A young male who was with two other boys approached a woman in Friars Street at around 6.30pm on Monday.

He touched her bottom before running off to a nearby car park.

The male is described as black, around 5ft 1in tall, around 11-years-old, with dark coloured hair and wearing a dark coloured body warmer.

Ipswich Policing Commander, Superintendent Louisa Pepper said: “This is the third incident that we have seen within the past few weeks and I’m concerned that we are starting to see a trend.

“These are being done by boys who probably only seeing it as a laugh, joke or prank, but to the victim, it can be distressing and upsetting to be subject to being touched somewhere private by a complete stranger.”

The first incident reported took place on Sunday, May 17 at around 8.15pm in Back Hamlet.

A 29-year-old woman was walking near a church when a group of male boys approached from Grimwade Street, lifted her skirt and touched her bottom as she walked past.

A second incident was then reported at around 6.30pm the following day when an 18-year-old woman inn Rope Walk was approached by a group of boys approached her from Grimwade Street.

They lifted her skirt and touched her bottom as they passed her.

Anyone who witnessed any of the incidents should contact police on 101, quoting IC/15/2219.