A MAN who exposed himself to Bolton schoolgirls aged as young as nine has been ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for two years.

Father-of-three Ian Grimshaw, aged 41, jumped out from behind a bush to expose himself to three 11-year-old schoolgirls as they walked along a street in Farnworth.

He was naked from the waist down with a jumper concealing his face, the court heard.

Grimshaw, a lorry driver, pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent exposure and asked for nine others to be taken into consideration.

Grimshaw exposed himself to a woman walking with her nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son in Daubhill in January, Bolton magistrates heard.

Mr Steve Sergeant, prosecuting, said: "She shouted at him and started to run towards him before he ran off."

A month later, Grimshaw struck in Farnworth. Three schoolgirls aged 11 were walking along Idris Avenue when he jumped out from the bush to expose himself, the court heard.

He ran off to a waiting Land Rover. Police -- who were monitoring the area -- followed him but could not catch up with him, the court was told yesterday. Later that day, two schoolgirls, one aged 15, saw Grimshaw standing in Winston Avenue, Little Lever holding his trousers in his hand, the court heard.

Mr Nick Ross, defending, said: "They are matters of considerable shame and embarrassment. He was immediately full and frank with the police and is prepared to face his problems."

Police set up cameras across Middle Hulton to look for a black Range Rover after a host of reports from last November.

Grimshaw was arrested after a personal numberplate check revealed his home address. Supt Alan Greene, of Bolton Police, said: "We believe he was responsible for a least 50 other offences. The descriptions and the car all matched. "We were concerned as history shows that flashers may go on to commit further, more serious offences. We take sexual offences very seriously. We are never complacent."

Grimshaw, of Wigan, was sentenced to a two-year community rehabilitation order and told to sign the sex offenders' register for two years.

He was also ordered to attend a sex offenders' treatment programme and told to pay £50 court costs.

Police also re-appealed for help yesterday to catch a man who raped a 17-year-old girl in Moses Gate Country Park, Farnworth on Tuesday, February 25.