Raiders have preyed on more than a dozen pensioners after conning their way into their homes.

The gang has attacked at least three elderly people and threatened to hurt many more during the raids, which police have described as "horrific".

In many cases the gang posed as policemen but in others they have resorted to violence after breaking into pensioners' homes.

Victim Martin Turner, 68, has spoken of his experience in an effort to bring more people forward with information.

He was at his 92-year-old mother's house in Church Lane, Pevensey, when two men broke in while they were both asleep.

The attack took place at between 8.30am and 9.30am, on Friday, October 6. Mr Turner said: "When one came into my room he said they were the police. I asked for identification and he said they belonged to some kind of unit and they didn't carry identification.

"I told him to leave the house. He made some comment and hit me. I was hit again some time later, several times to the head."

Mr Turner said the intruders tried to push his mother into saying where she kept her money and threatened him with a knife.

"I was very concerned that they should not touch my mother. They didn't, but she is very ill and the mere fact that they were hustling her around the house was quite distressing."

After ransacking the house, the burglars fled but left Mr Turner with a black eye and bloody nose.

He was taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital where he was kept in overnight for observation.

The men, who stole a small amount of cash, escaped along Church Road towards Pevensey Castle. They were in their twenties or thirties, about 5ft 10in to 6ft tall, and of medium build. Both had short dark hair, one with darker hair than the other.

Another 86-year-old victim, Edward Hulford was punched in the head and thumped in his back by two men who kicked in his front door at his home in Fairlight Avenue, Telscombe Cliffs, at 5pm on Monday.

Police do not yet know if anything was stolen. Mr Hulford is now recovering from shock and bruising at a nursing home.

Detective Sergeant John Cousin, of Newhaven CID, said the attack was possibly linked to other burglaries.

They were all horrific and always on elderly people.

A 95-year-old woman was targeted at her home in Eastbourne Road, Seaford, between 7.30pm and 8pm, also on Monday. She was not hurt but the thugs escaped with a small amount of cash and her handbag.

Police believe the same gang have been responsible for more than a dozen attacks in Newhaven, Seaford, Ringmer, Hastings, Eastbourne, Robertsbridge, Polegate, Pevensey and Winchelsea during the past two months.