Ref. 14859/1TWO violent street robberies in as many days have left Trowbridge detectives fearing a pair of serial muggers could be at large.

Detectives are unable to rule out a link between the two incidents in which a 44-year-old man was knocked unconscious in a mugging close to the town park and a 65-year-old man was lured into a car park stairwell, beaten to the ground and robbed.

The 44-year-old man was struck on the back of the neck close to the park end of County Way footbridge at about 11.15am on Thursday.

Police believe the attack could have been witnessed by dozens of passers-by who failed to raise the alarm.

The victim, who lives in Bradford on Avon, woke to find his wallet missing and walked to the police station to raise the alarm.

He was treated for neck injuries at the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

Det Sgt Dave Martin said: "We are certainly taking the view he was mugged. I would assume if someone saw this man lying on the floor they just ignored him as he came into the police station by himself.

"We are looking at CCTV from the park but have so many inquiries needing camera footage it is going to take a bit of time.

"We have two robberies in two days in very close proximity. It is very unusual."

Security tapes have been seized from Tesco but detectives believe the man may not have gone into the store.

The second robbery happened in a stairwell at St Stephen's Place car park just 19 hours before.

A 64-year-old man was walking out of the toilets in Castle Place precinct on Wednesday evening when two men approached him.

The men walked with the victim out of the car park, past the children's play area and towards the tourist information centre.

As the victim passed the multi-storey car-park's vehicle entrance, the two men bundled him into a stairwell and beat him to the floor.

One of the robbers stood on the victim's head while the second rifled through his pockets, stealing a credit card and £30 cash.

One robber is described as white, 5ft 6ins, slim, clean-shaven, in his 20s, with a long bony face. He was wearing a dark blue hooded top, light blue trousers and white trainers.

The second is described as mixed race possibly Mediterranean around 6ft, in his late teens, with a square face and heavy build. He was wearing a dark blue hooded top and dark trousers.