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HAVERHILL POLICE have launched a major hunt for a sex attacker who struck twice in two days near the town's civic amenity site.
Former councillor Colin Jones has claimed the attacks, which happened at the weekend, might have been avoided if his campaign for safety improvements in the area had not been dismissed by St Edmundsbury Borough Council.
Suffolk Police are appealing for help from the public in tracking down the man who indecently assaulted a 12-year-old girl early in the evening on Friday, July 16, amd a 48-year-old woman on the morning of the next day.
Both attacks happened in the same area of Haverhill, near the Railway Walk and the civic amenity site.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Corderoy said they were linking the two attacks because they were so close together in timing and happened only 20 to 30 feet from each other.
They believe the man lives or lived locally or has been camping or sleeping rough in the area.
Police want to hear from anyone who recognises the distinctive light blue rucksack the man carried during the first attack or the mountain bike on which he rode off towards Roman Way. They also want to contact two teenage boys sitting on the bench near the Sports Centre when the girl rode past followed by her attacker.
The victims' descriptions are very similar. Both describe a man in his early 20s, 5ft 9in tall, of atheltic build, tanned or of Mediterranean appearance with short dark hair, heavy eyebrows and stubble. On the second occasion he was wearing a dark red T-shirt, white shorts and trainers.
Anyone with information should ring (01473) 6132500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Mr Jones, who stepped down as a councillor in May, said his campaign was supported by Haverhill Citizen's Advice Bureau and Age Corcern.
He accused council officials of accepting a "no-go" area in the town by taking no action.
"This is a very isolated, overgrown area with a lot of negative aspects to it, but people use it because of pressures of time.
"Something should have been done to remove the negative aspects of it . The council has a duty of care to make sure areas like this are safe," Mr Jones said.
Nigel Badcock, director of cunstruction services and works for St Edmundsbury Borough Council, said it had agreed its Transport and Works Committee should look at the area and see what could be done about it.
He pointed out that the attacks did not actually happen on the path Mr Jones had campaigned about but accepted the path raised by Mr Jones was "highly undesirable to use".
He said the land was due to be developed and negative aspects would be designed out when houses were built.
"We will look very carefully at the area where these attacks happened, but there is probably very little that could have been done to prevent it," Mr Badcock said.

Photo caption: Campaigner . . . former councillor Colin Jones accused officials of accepting a "no-go" area by taking no action over the path.