Detectives hunting a serial sex attacker have released footage of a suspect being knocked to the ground after he was chased by a passer-by.

A motorist intervened after a 20-year-old woman was attacked near a leisure centre in Tottenham, north London, at around 10.20am on April 4.

Serial sex attacks in Tottenham
A suspect in a case where detectives are hunting a serial sex attacker, after he was knocked to the ground having been chased by a passer-by (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Her attacker, described by police as a black male of slim to medium build, swore at the victim before punching her about five times in the face and upper body.

The passer-by filmed the suspect on his mobile phone as he fled, wearing a red baseball cap, blue jeans and white trainers, and carrying a black leather rucksack.

At one point in the footage, the attacker, holding a tennis racquet and case, is knocked to the ground before escaping along Clyde Road.

The victim was left “very traumatised” by the attack and suffered swelling and pain to her eye, Scotland Yard said.

Detectives believe the same suspect is responsible for a string of sexual assaults in the area.

A 27-year-old woman was sexually assaulted five minutes earlier as she walked along Phillip Lane.

She was punched in the face before her attacker ran off towards Tottenham High Road.

In another attack, a 25-year-old woman was kicked near the same leisure centre – Tottenham Green Pools and Fitness – at around 7.50pm on April 3 in an incident captured on CCTV.

Detective Inspector Paul Ridley, from the Metropolitan Police, said: “All the offences are clearly sexually motivated and the random nature, additional violence and aggressive behaviour by the assailant towards these young women is concerning.

“The incidents have occurred within a very close proximity, two in the same street within minutes of each other. The women were understandably left extremely distraught.

“The mobile phone footage captures the male wearing a distinctive red baseball hat, blue jeans, white trainers with a black leather rucksack on his back.

“He is also carrying at least one sports racquet and a protective cover made by the company Pro Baseline, which appears to be for a tennis racquet. If you put all these clues together and believe you know this man, I need you to come forward as a priority.”

Mr Ridley said the suspect may have followed other women and warned people in the area to remain vigilant.

He added: “I would therefore urge anyone who may have been assaulted but has not reported it, or who has seen a male matching the description of the attacker to approach the investigation team. You may hold vital information.”