Red-faced police officers smashed down the door of the wrong house during a raid in Clacton.

Three officers from the Met Police's Edmonton Robbery Squad struck at the town flat yesterday, at about 7am.

The single mother-of-two, who asked not to be named, said she was "petrified" by the ordeal.

"I was asleep and the children were both in bed as well," said the woman, who is in her 20s.

"I was woken up by banging and I thought what the hell is that?'."

"A few seconds later I realised my door was being kicked in. I was hysterical, thinking someone was breaking in."

She said the officers were sympathetic when they realised it was the wrong house.

The mum-of-two said she was considering taking her complaint further.

A Met Police spokesman described it as a "genuine error" and said the force was in the process of paying for the repairs.