THREE taxi drivers were robbed in as many hours in a series of terrifying attacks in Huddersfield.

Police believe the incidents, on Tuesday night, were linked.

In the first, at about 7pm, a 49-year-old driver attended Corby Street in Fartown to pick up a fare.

He started to turn around his green coloured Vauxhall Zafira after realising it was a false call, but a man opened the passenger door and started to demand cash.

Two other men, including one with a knife, then threatened the driver, who handed over cash, a mobile phone and a set of keys.

One of the men was mixed race, slim, in his early 20s, 5ft 6ins to 5ft 8ins tall and clean shaven. He wore a dark coloured hooded top.

The second was slim, 5ft 6ins to 5ft 8ins tall. He wore white gloves and a dark coloured hooded top.

The third robber was slim, about the same height and wore a dark coloured hooded top.

In the second robbery, at 8pm, a 38-year-old taxi driver went to Sheepridge Grove, Sheepridge, to collect a fare.

Two men were waiting in the street when he arrived. They pulled the driver out of his silver Vauxhall Astra, punched him and demanded cash.

One pulled out a knife and stabbed the cabbie in the wrist.

Cash, a satellite navigation system and a mobile phone were stolen.

The attackers were Afro-Caribbean and wearing dark clothing.

Then, at 9.10pm, a 45-year-old taxi driver was assaulted in Frederick Street, Crosland Moor after going to pick up a fare.

A man got into the passenger seat of his Toyota Avensis, claiming to be the customer, before two other men climbed in.

They demanded cash and punched their victim in the face.

The driver handed over some cash before sounding his car horn and the suspects ran away.

The men were Afro-Caribbean. Two wore balaclavas.

The robberies were the latest in a long string of assaults on Huddersfield cabbies.

In July, 2006 Mohammad Parvaiz, 41, was murdered in a racist attack in Golcar.

Last November Mohammad Siddiq, 67, had his jaw broken in two places by a customer on Quarmby Road, Quarmby.

In December father-of-five Mohammed Afzal Nadeem, 50, was put out of work by a violent attack in Huddersfield town centre.

Makhan Singh, of Kirklees Hackney Carriage Association, said: “This is happening more and more and we are becoming more and more frightened.”

Anyone with information should call Huddersfield CID on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.