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

The attacks, which took place within a 24-hour period, were so similar that Droitwich police believe the same trio were responsible.

The first victim was knocked unconscious and robbed of an unspecified amount of cash after three men attacked him from behind in Stalls Farm Road at about 11.45pm on Friday, June 29. A second man, also walking alone, was punch-ed, 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 robbers 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."

Anyone with information can contact police on 08457 444 888, quoting 575S/010707 for the first incident or 50S/010707 for the second.

Information can also be given - anonymously - by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.