Police are hunting a prolific male flasher after THIRTEEN similar reported incidents across Hyndburn.

Detectives said all the incidents involve a man exposing himself to women who are inside homes with the lights on and curtains open at the time.

There have been 13 ‘concerning and extremely distressing’ incidents reported across Accrington, Oswaldtwistle and Knuzden since 2011 and officers believe the same man is responsible.

The latest incident happened on Thursday, March 9, when a man approached the front of a house off Rugby Avenue in Accrington shortly before 10.30pm.

Officers say patrols in the Accrington area have now been increased to ‘provide reassurance to the local community and to deter any further offences’.

The first reported offences date back to 2011 with incidents in Oswaldtwistle and Accrington.

They were then followed by a further incident which took place in 2012 in Knuzden.

In 2013 police received six separate reports of a man exposing himself including incidents off Whalley Road, Devonshire Street and near Queens Road West, all in Accrington.

There were a further three incidents reported in 2014, one which took place in Oswaldtwistle and two others in Accrington, one near Accrington Woodnook Primary School Street and one near Devonshire Street.

Lancashire Police said an appeal for information was issued at the time but no similar offences were reported until last week.

Det Insp Tim McDermott, of East CID, said: “While these offences are concerning and distressing for the victims, the man has always run away once he has been seen and has never made any attempt to speak with or make contact with the victims.

“We would take this opportunity to advise local residents to remain vigilant and ensure their curtains or blinds are closed at night time.

“Whilst we cannot be certain that one man is responsible for all of the offences, their similarity is so striking that we believe they are likely to be linked.

"These offences are committed after dark so it’s very difficult for victims to provide us with a description and I am appealing to the public to come forward with any information they may have.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 quoting log 1643 of March 9.