ROBBERS held a knife to a man’s throat then frogmarched him to a cash machine.

The terrifying robbery happened at 12.25am on Sunday as the victim was walking home from a night out.

He was approached in Durham Road, Laindon, by two men who asked him for a cigarette.

One of the attackers then put a knife against the 22- year-old victim’s throat and demanded he hand over his mobile phone.

They ordered him to give up his cash card, PIN number and cash. The two thugs then walked the terrified victim towards Laindon station, but ran off before they got to the cash machine.

A short time later the suspects used the victim’s cash card to withdraw £50 from the cash machine at the station.

Det Sgt Mike Wilkinson, from Basildon police station said: “The victim was left shaken, but unharmed.

“I would urge anyone with information about this attack to contact me.”

The first robber was a white man, aged between 16 and 20, 5ft 8ins tall and slim build.

He was wearing a dark tracksuit, a dark baseball cap and was carrying a knife with a three-inch blade.

The second attacker was aged between 16 and 20 years, 5ft 8ins tall and slim build.

He was wearing a black hooded top and denim jeans.

Despite fears from local residents, figures released by Essex Police last month showed that crime had not increased since the introduction of part-night lighting by Essex County Council in February.

Streetlights are switched off between midnight and 5am.

Police crime commissioner, Nick Alston, said he would adopt a “waiting brief” on whether to lobby the council on full night time lighting.