Detectives revealed on Thursday that a 20-year-old fisherman was coshed from behind across the head and robbed before being pushed into a freezing Basildon lake.

His attackers made off with £3,000 of fishing equipment and gold jewellery at 11.30pm on Monday as the man fished at the lake on the Festival Leisure Park. The man, from Wickford, was left shaken but managed to wade ashore.

Gloucester Park and the Festival Leisure Park are popular with fishermen at night. Many set up lakeside camps to carry on with their sport.

However, detectives have few clues to go on.They think the victim was attacked from behind, possibly by two men, and threatened with a knife.

It is not clear whether they had been drinking at the Festival Leisure Park or how they got away.

Detectives would like to talk to anyone who saw two men walking along Cranes Farm Road or nearby roads with fishing equipment.

Contact Basildon CID on 01268 532212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

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