A COUNCILLOR has hit the alarm button, alerting residents about a "flasher'' who he claims has been targeting victims around Milnshaw Park for as long as 15 years.

As reported in last week's Observer, a 44-year-old Church woman was "flashed at'' by a scruffy-looking man in his 50s, and now Councillor Malcolm Pritchard has appealed for the man to be caught.

He said: "I think he is a pervert and he needs to be punished. We should be catching people like that. There's been a flasher hanging around in Milnshaw Park for a long time. Whether it's the same bloke I am not sure but there's enough trouble in the world without having idiots going in the park to expose themselves to decent people.

"I do think all women deserve better. We have a lot of young girls going in the park and they don't want to see things like that."

He said bushes and overgrown areas would be cut to restrict the number of places for the "flasher'' to hide, and community wardens would be increasing their patrols.

Asked about the likelihood of there being just one culprit, Inspector Phil Cottam said: "All I can say is that is Councillor Pritchard's view. We have no evidence to substantiate there being a prowler.

"However, we are aware that from time to time there are incidents of this nature around this park, as well there may be in other parks in Hyndburn. We are interested at this time to identify the offender."