A PETROL station and a shop in West Mersea were broken into in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Shell garage, known as the Old Forge Filling Station, in Kingsland Road and the Co-op store in Barnfield Road were targeted.

The offender smashed glass doors at both properties, which were closed at the time, to gain entry.

Residents said they heard alarms from both sites.

The Shell garage opened as normal on Sunday with the door boarded up.