A young mother is terrified to return home after being scared by a man.

She has taken her two children to live with her sister after the third incident at her home within months.

The single parent, who does not wish to be named, said she had been happy at her home in Oxford Crescent, Clacton, until the man began pestering her.

Police were called after the latest incident on Monday night when she saw him committing an indecent act outside her front door.

The man made off before police arrived but the woman said she was sure it was the same man who had been looking through her windows and pacing in front of her home at other times.

She believes the man is spying on her, because he always seems to appear shortly after her boyfriend drives home.

The woman said she has been so frightened she has locked herself and children, aged three and 17 months, in the bedroom. She said she is now too terrified to go home and live alone again.

"I am just too frightened," she added. "I don't want to give up my house. It has two bedrooms and is lovely with a big garden. It is close to my little girl's nursery school and I've got nice neighbours, but I'm being terrorised to leave and I don't really want to."

The 23-year-old woman said she wants to warn others in the area to be on their guard.

She describes the man who has pestered her as in his late 20s, about six feet tall with short mousey hair. He has been seen wearing a brown leather bomber jacket and blue jeans.

A police spokesman said today the incident was "particularly unpleasant and distressing".

Officers would be keeping a close eye on the area.

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