“AXE-wielding attackers” targeted a home in a quiet Southend street in the early hours of the morning.

The 4am attack, in Lewes Road, has left residents terrified.

It is understood that men turned up with fire axes on Saturday morning, and attacked the property’s windows, doors, and fences.

Brian Beggs, councillor for St Lukes Ward, said there had the suburban street had suffered a series of serious incidents over the last fortnight.

He said: “Men turned up with fire axes, and started attacking the house, windows, doors, and cut down the fences.

“From what the residents have told me, they heard that men were screaming about a ‘drugs gang’.

“It was a really scary experience for the residents living there.”

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Mr Beggs added that residents were becoming fearful for their own safety.
He said: “This is the third time in the past two weeks this has happened, and I believe there is an ongoing police investigation.

“Not only is there quite a lot of damage done to the properties, but people are worried about getting at the people in the houses.

“People are concerned for their safety, there are lots of elderly people around the area.

“This is worrying - someone could get injured, or God forbid killed in the street.”

In a statement on Saturday’s incident, a spokesman for Essex Police said: “We were called to Lewes Road, Southend, shortly before 6.15am on Saturday, with reports of a disturbance.

“Our officers attended and conducted a thorough search of the area, but no one matching the description of the suspect was found.

“Our enquiries are ongoing, and we need anyone who saw anything to contact us.”

If you have any information, you can submit a report online at www.essex.police.uk or by using the ‘Live Chat’ button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.

Alternatively, you can also call Essex Police on 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Those submitting a report should quote incident number 218 of April 2.