A SPATE of muggings within less than 24 hours has sparked a warning to women to be on their guard when walking alone - or even with friends.

The alert follows four attacks between 11pm on Saturday and 5pm on Sunday.

In the first attack, a woman in her 20s was hit by a man near Questor's Theatre, in Mattock Lane, just after 11pm on Saturday. Her and a friend's bag were snatched.

At 3.11am on Sunday, two women were approached at the junction of The Grove and West Road by three men who demanded their bags.

The women, aged 36 and 30, lost their Samsung and Sony Ericsson mobile phones, a Sony camera, a Kenwood car radio faceplate, money, and a red Apple MP3 player, valued in total at about £700.

Half an hour later, two 25-year-old women were walking home along Windsor Road by the Polish Church when three men began grabbing at one of their bags.

The victim, who works in public relations, fell to the ground and the men tore the bag from her arm before running to a parked car to make their getaway.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: "We were approached from the back and the car was on the other side of the barrier, making us believe that they could have been sat in the car just waiting for someone to walk past.

"They grabbed my bag and pulled at my arm and I fell to the floor on my front.

"I've done that walk a million times and have always felt safe, but I'm in no hurry to walk down there now and it's worth getting a taxi home.

"We had to change our locks straight away as my driver's licence and keys were taken, but luckily I only suffered bruising on my arm."

The latest mugging took place in Kenilworth Road at 4.20pm on Sunday.

A 63-year-old woman was followed by a black man, aged 20 to 23. He was wearing a long, black hooded coat and a dark-coloured baseball cap.

When the man grabbed her bag, the woman started screaming and people from Kenilworth and Park Road came to her aid.

One man chased after the mugger while the bag, with all its contents, was found by a 10-year-old boy in Kerrison Road.

The woman, a part-time media researcher, said: "After I started screaming I was amazed at how many people came out of their homes to help me.

"The residents were absolutely amazing and I can't thank them enough."

The three men in the Sunday morning attacks are described as being of mixed race, aged 18 to 21, between 5ft 9in and 6ft 1in tall, with London accents and, variously, wearing a grey hooded jacket, black hooded jumper and a black body warmer. * Anyone with information is urged to call 0300 123 1212 or phone Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.