Uproar broke out when up to 100 rowdy teenagers went on the rampage at Pitsea railway station.

They charged off a late-night train after visiting a Southend disco, Basildon Crown Court heard.

At one point only a handful of police confronted the angry mob who chanted abuse, racist remarks and hurled stones and other missiles.

It was a terrifying situation, said Robert Neill, prosecuting. In the dock were Scott Parry, 19, of Burlington Court, Pitsea, and Tony Pelling, 17, of Bockingham Green, Pitsea.

They pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour, although they refused to accept they were solely responsible for the disturbance.

Mr Neill said the gangs of youngsters travelled from Southend as part of a regular Saturday night out.

He said trouble had been brewing for some time between groups of teenagers from Benfleet and Pitsea.

Despite officers begging them to curb their mayhem, the defiant yobs carried on misbehaving as the train reached Pitsea.

One Asian policeman was particularly picked on by the youths. They swore and screamed racist remarks at him, added Mr Neill.

He said people waiting at a taxi rank also became the subject of abuse.

The following week officers waited for the "disco train" to arrive at Pitsea and arrested two teenagers they had seen the previous Saturday - Pelling and Parry.

Pelling, who has previous convictions, wept as he was sent to a young offenders' institution for four months.

Parry, described in a probation report as "bright and personable" was ordered to work 100 hours of community service and pay £200 court costs.

Judge Frank Lockhart said the police faced "a thoroughly frightening incident" as they tried to restore peace at the station.

He added it was small wonder ordinary people were turning away from public transport when they were forced to endure incidents of this nature.

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