A MAN hid in bushes in a lane before exposing himself to five schoolgirls.

As the teenagers walked home from school they were all approached by the man – thought to be in his 30s or 40s – in the Pig Lane area, Eastbourne, on Friday afternoon. 21/11

At 4.30pm the man approached a 14-year-old as she walked along the footpath beside Cross Levels Way, near Eastbourne District General Hospital and Sussex Downs College.

As she walked past he was hiding in the bushes but stepped out, beckoned her towards him and said “hey come here” while he was exposing himself and carrying out an indecent act, police said.

She ignored him, ran off and called the police from a nearby building.

He is described as white, of medium build, with short, dark stubble and short or cropped greying hair. He was wearing dark coloured, rectangular, metal-framed glasses, a red and navy blue jacket and had a red mountain bike with him.

It was the second time he had targeted students that day.

PC Steve Austin said: "What is even more concerning is this followed a call from four 14-year old schoolgirls who were also walking home. At 3.25pm they had been approached by a male who was acting in the same indecent way, after stepping out of the bushes. But again the brave victims called the police and an immediate search of the area was carried out.”

He said the girls gave a similar description and estimated he was in his 40s, and also said he had a noticeable belly, wore grey lycra trousers and a grey woollen hat.

He added: “We are treating these incidents extremely seriously and are making every effort to identify the man responsible, working from the belief that it is the same man in both cases.”

Anyone with information should email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting 1075 of 21/11.