A GANG of teenagers surrounded a man and battered him with bottles and fence posts in a vicious attack.

Neighbours said the teens ripped off their shirts and were screaming“like animals” as they laid into the man when he asked them to keep the noise down.

The 48-year-old victim needed five stitches to his head, after suffering a two inch cut that was so deep it went through to his skull.

A 50-strong gang were in the alleyway, which runs through the middle of Moretons and Beambridge, in Pitsea, at about 11pm on Saturday. One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: “They were acting like animals. It was horrific. The kids ripped down the bloke’s fence and were beating him with his own fence posts and broken bottles.

“He had blood running down his face. Some of the teenagers were taking off their shirts to fight. I would say there was between 25 and 50 teenagers out there.”

Two other neighbours were also attacked, after they came out to help. A 21- year-old man suffered a cut to his head, while a 24-yearold man had a cut to the right side of his head.

The violence happened after the teenagers tried to gatecrash a party at a nearby house.

They began causing a nuisance, throwing bottles and damaging residents’ fences.

When the 48-year-old victim went out and asked them to be quiet the gang turned on him.

Witnesses reported seeing a teenage girl holding her jaw as if she had been attacked and police are appealing for the young woman to contact them.

Another resident added: “It’s disgusting. The teenagers were just out of control. It woke up my young children. For them to see something like this, it’s not right.”

Essex Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact Det Con Angela Toppin at Basildon CID on 101.

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