A STREET gang is being hunted after a series of violent street robberies

Six people have been targeted by the "vicious and calculating" group of up to five Asian men in the Preston New Road and Bank Top areas of Blackburn.

Police today said they were "urgently" hunting the gang who had clearly targeted vulnerable people. They said the majority of the victims were white, but there was one Asian person and they believed the attacks were not racially motivated.

In each attack martial art kicks or punches have been used to force victims to hand over cash and mobile phones.

Detective Constable Graham Simpson said: "The offenders seem to have targeted vulnerable people in what are very vicious attacks. They have caused a great deal of fear and scared the victims, who were clearly overpowered."

A man was hit on the back of the head during the first attack on Thursday night just before midnight at the junction of Beardwood and Preston New Road.

He managed to break free. The gang then ran off to a car waiting near by and returned to attack him a second time.

Police said the man was threatened and "clearly intimidated" when he was forced to hand over £10.

In the second attack, on Friday, at the junction of Burlington Street and Leamington Road at 10.30pm a man was punched in the back of the head and knocked to the ground and a wallet, £30 and some credit cards stolen.

The same group are then believed to have gone to Selborne Mews at the junction with Redlam Brow where they punched a man at 11.30pm and stole a mobile phone, a wallet and credit cards.

Minutes later the group attacked two women in Oakenhurst Road. The women were walking along when five Asian males are reported to have approached them, trying to grab their bags. One woman managed to hold on to her bag, despite being pushed to the floor. She suffered cuts and bruises.

The men walked off then ran back and stole the second woman's handbag containing a purse and a mobile phone.

In the latest attack at 12.45am on Sunday, a gang member used a "martial arts style kick" to overcome his victim in Garden Street. The gang stole £8 and a mobile phone..

Three attackers went up behind the man as he was walking home while another blocked his path and asked how much money he had.

One gang member is said to be 20-25 years old, wearing a white and grey sports top with dark blue jeans and white trainers with short, black, heavily gelled, spiky hair.

Anyone with information should contact Blackburn CID on 01254 353569.