Police are investigating four separate incidents where a man harassed lone women in Edinburgh over a seven hour period.

The victims were attacked between 0300 BST and 1000 BST on Tuesday. Police believe the same man was responsible and are now keen to trace witnesses.

He exposed himself to one woman and fondled a mother pushing her pram.

He has been described as dark skinned, 5ft 10ins to 5ft 11ins tall, with short, dark, greasy hair.

He was wearing a brown bomber jacket.

The first case happened in Wardlaw Place, Gorgie, when a 33-year-old woman was grabbed round the waist at 0300 BST as she made her way home from work.

Between 0915 BST and 0930 BST later that day a 22-year-old woman walking in Palmerston Place was indecently assaulted by a man who bumped into her before slapping her on the bottom.

She described the man as being mid 30s, medium height and build, dark skinned and possibly wearing a dark blue beanie hat.

At 0940 BST on Gorgie Road at the junction with McLeod Street a man exposed himself to a 29-year-old woman.

Fondled mother

She was walking on the south side of Gorgie Road towards town when she became aware of a man watching her from the other side of the street.

He shouted at her and began walking across the road before exposing himself and walking off towards Robertson Avenue.

Police believe there were a number of witnesses in the area at the time including a man having a cigarette outside the Tynecastle Arms pub.

At 1000 BST in Gorgie Road, a 25-year-old woman pushing a pram with her baby inside near Optical Express was approached from behind by a man who fondled her.

The victim was left shocked and distressed but was able to get away from the man. She described him as having a "tanned" complexion.

A police spokeswoman said: "We believe it is possible that the same man has been responsible for this spate of assaults on women.

"Anyone who may have witnessed the incidents or been a victim themselves is urged to contact police. In each case the man is described as being in his late 20s to late 30s and having a dark complexion."