A PERSON was punched during a brawl with a large group outside a Dovercourt pub.

Police were called to reports of a large group of people involved in a disturbance outside The Bottle Kiln, at 11.20pm on Sunday. *MAY 5*.

When officers arrived one person was identified as having been punched by another.

They declined to speak to officers and left the scene.

Eddie Gershon, a Wetherspoon spokesman, said: "Staff became aware of an altercation between two groups of customers in the garden area of the pub late Sunday evening.

"Door staff acted swiftly in removing the offenders but as their intervention took place many others forced involvement to the extent that the doors were closed for the safety of staff and other customers.

"Police assistance was called for and the venue ceased trading to further encourage the offending groups to vacate.

"All those customers involved in the disturbance will no longer be welcome in the pub."

The incident comes just months after a large fight happened outside the venue on New Year's Eve.

Police were called to break up a mass of people fighting each other outside the pub, on December 31.

Two men in suffered injuries to their faces after being punched.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting incident 1176 of May 5."