YOUNGSTERS have risked their lives by playing on top of a shop roof in Colchester town centre.

The gang of children were sighted on top of the British Heart Foundation shop near Castle Park.

The group was visible from the High Street and were observed to have been dropping things from the roof and playing football on the roof of the charity shop.

They were pictured standing on the edge of the four-storey building, looking down High Street below.

A staff member at Three Wise Monkeys, who had an eye-level view of the situation as it unfolded, said: “I genuinely thought I was going to see someone die whilst I was at work.

"They weren’t just standing there, they were playing with a football, running and pushing each other.

"They seemed to be daring each other to see how close to the edge they could get.”

Police confirmed they were called at 7.50pm on Thursday following several reports of youths on a roof in Colchester.

They said they had attended the scheme and had spoken to a person concerned.

Police stated that no offences had been identified.