Police say they were told that at about 10.30am yesterday, an 87-year-old man was walking along the boardwalk on Riverside Drive in Nambucca Heads, when an unknown man approached him and allegedly pushed him in the chest, knocking him down.

The 87-year-old suffered an injury to his shoulder and was later taken to hospital where he was treated for a broken collarbone.

The unknown man allegedly kept walking along the boardwalk and punched a 28-year-old woman jogging past.

She suffered an injury to her face and neck.

A short time later, the man allegedly approached a 52-year-old woman who was walking her two dogs.

He’s accused of punching the woman in her face, cutting her lip, and then kicking one of her dogs before walking on.

At about 11am, a 70-year-old woman walking towards Gordon Park along Wellington Drive allegedly encountered the man, and police claim he swiped a coffee tray out of her hands and hit her ear.

Police arrested a 53-year-old man on Wellington Drive.

He was charged with multiple counts of assault and one count of animal cruelty.

He was refused bail and will appear in court today.