THREE locations in Bath are to be targeted by detectives hunting for the city's Batman rapist.

Officers believe the man they are looking for, who left his Batman baseball cap in the car of one of his victims, may know the areas well and may be a sporting or keep-fit enthusiast.

Police are asking people who use the local schools and the University of Bath for help as they believe the man, who could be behind around 17 rapes and assaults in the city dating back over a decade, may use local facilities.

They believe someone in those areas may have seen something that could lead them to him.

The police will be targeting the Combe Hay Lane, Claverton Down and Monkton Combe areas in the hope that someone may have seen something suspicious but not realised.

Batman has caused widespread fear across the city after details of all the incidents he is thought to have been involved in were revealed on Crimewatch UK earlier this year.

A massive public response occurred as a result of the television programme and detectives have been following up all the potential leads.

In May police believe the man tried to attack again when he attempted to get into a woman's car in Lansdown.

He tried the door in the same way that a man did when he left a baseball cap behind after attacking another woman.

Detectives are in the process of writing to the university and schools in the areas and also the different organisations who use the facilities as they believe they can jog a memory.

The man leading the investigation, Detective Inspector Paul James, said: "It could be that people are aware of things which may not be significant to them but which will help us to build a bigger picture.

"We would ask that anybody who has an association with these areas over the last ten years who has any suspicions or information to please contact us."

Anyone who believes they may be able to help should contact the incident room on freephone number 0800 1691926, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.