POLICE in Hereford have linked two of the riverside sex attacks as they update on the arrests they have made.

So far, five people have been arrested in connection with the five sexual assaults in the three weeks from July 31.

Four have been released on bail, and one has been released without charge, West Mercia Police said.

Three rapes, one attempted rape and one flashing were all reported to police over the three-week period.

A 34-year-old man was arrested in connection with the alleged rape on Sunday, July 31. 

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Between midnight and 1.30am, a 20-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a man as she walked along a river path in Hereford.

The reported rape took place opposite the rowing club, between the Old Bridge and Great Western Way.

The man has been released on police bail.

A second man has also been arrested in connection with that alleged rape.

The 42-year-old was arrested on suspicion of that, and also the indecent exposure on August 3.

Officers have not given many details about that offence, but it also happened along the riverside.

That second man has also been released on police bail.

A 23-year-old man also arrested in connection with the July 31 rape has been released without charge.

Police officers have also arrested a 48-year-old man in connection with the attempted rape on August 12. He has been released on police bail.

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Police said they were called after a man grabbed a woman from behind and exposed himself. 

The incident took place on the river path between King George V playing fields and Hinton Road between 9.45pm and 10.15pm.

The fifth reported attack happened on Saturday, August 20, when a man said he had been raped.

Officers from West Mercia Police were called to the Castle Green area of the city after patrolling officers were told of the incident on the riverside path between the Victoria Bridge and the Cotteswold Dairy.

A 35-year-old-man was arrested on suspicion of rape in connection with that incident. He has been released on police bail.

No one has been arrested by police for the alleged rape on August 7.

West Mercia Police said it was called by the ambulance service shortly after 11pm on Sunday, August 7 when the victim told paramedics she had been raped between the tennis courts and Victoria Bridge between 9pm and 10pm.