THREE men in hooded tops are being sought by police for carrying out two late-night robberies on lone men.

Droitwich police believe the same trio of assailants were responsible for robbing the pedestrians in 24 hours as the attacks were so similar.

The first victim was knocked unconscious and robbed of an unspecified amount of cash after three men in hooded tops attacked him from behind in Stalls Farm Road at around 11.45pm on Friday, June 29.

A second man, also walking alone, was punched, kicked and stamped on before being robbed outside the Railway public house in Vines Lane between 11.45 and 11.55 on Saturday, June 30.

The three are believed to have come out of Vines Park and approached their victim from the side. They escaped with £40 in cash and a tobacco tin with a picture of a caterpillar sitting on a mushroom talking to 'Alice in Wonderland'.

A police spokesman said: "There are such a considerable number of similarities between the two incidents that we are directly linking them, although they took place 24 hours apart and in different parts of the town.

"Both victims of what appear to be 'carbon-copy' crimes required medical treatment and are very shaken by their experiences.

"As with many of our investigations into violent crime, we hope to be helped by the public. We believe there may have been witnesses to the two incidents and also people who saw the three 'hoodied' males at some time during the two evenings in question and can help to identify them."

Police can be contacted on 08457 444 888, quoting 575S/010707 for the first incident or 50S/010707 for the second. Information can also be given - anonymously - to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.