A VIOLENT attacker who is randomly targeting women in York may have struck again.

In the latest attack, a woman needed hospital treatment after she was hit on the head by a man outside the Assembly Rooms, in Blake Street, yesterday evening.

Police believe the attacker may have assaulted up to five women in the city - and could strike again at any time.

The latest incident comes only days after a similar attack on Haxby woman Elaine Davies, 49, who was punched as she walked past Le Meridien Hotel close to York Railway Station last Thursday.

Three days before Mrs Davies was attacked, a 33-year-old woman was punched in the face by a man as she walked with a colleague through the Marble Arch tunnel, in Leeman Road.

In all three attacks, the victim was punched just once in the face for no apparent reason. The attacker then walked away.

He is thought to be white, about 5ft 8in to 5ft 9in tall, with dark hair, and aged in his 20s.

Acting Sergeant Dave Hopper said two other possible attacks, which have not yet been formally reported to police, were being investigated by officers today.

If confirmed, this would bring the total number of victims to five. He urged all women in the city to take extra precautions, and to report any suspicious incidents to police.

Sgt Hopper said: "It looks like there may be a man going around assaulting females in the city. We have got at least three incidents, and possibly more that haven't been reported to us.

"We would urge anyone who has been assaulted to contact us - the more information we have the clearer picture we can get."

In a separate attack, which is not being linked by police to those involving the women, a postal worker was left with serious facial injuries after being punched in the face as he walked over Lendal Bridge.

Stephen Bowes, 32, of Selby, has been off work since the attack last Friday and is to go back to hospital tomorrow for more X-rays.

He said: "This individual needs to be caught. It was a totally unprovoked attack and left me really shaken up.

"The state my face is in, people have been asking if he hit me with something, but all he used was his fist."

Updated: 11:07 Wednesday, April 09, 2003