HOOLIGANS attacked Labour members canvassing in Corringham this afternoon.

A gang of thugs destroyed the Labour stall and kicked a local Labour candidate in her mobility scooter as they handed out leaflets campaigning to save the NHS.

Mike Le-Surf, parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock, was on the stall, in St John's Way, and saw events unfold.

He said: "It was horrendous, really violent.

"Earlier in the day someone had come past, given us abuse and said he would be back with more people.

"There were three men and one woman, who stood by and filmed the whole thing on her iPad.

"They kicked our table, chucked out boards away and kicked one of our candidates, who is in a mobility scooter, in the leg.

"One of them said they were UKIP and representing local people."

Linda Hall, local candidate for Stanford East and Corringham Town, was the victim of the attack and said it felt planned.

She escaped with a bruise on her leg while a colleague had a placard thrown in their face, and Ms Lane said she had never seen anything like it.

She said: "I have never seen that level of agression before.

"They were accusing us of paedophilia and had a go at an 80-year-old man, it was absolutely appalling.

"We just hope as they were filming it that they upload it somewhere and we can find them."

George Konstantinidis, UKIP chairman in the eastern region, distanced the party from the attack.

He said: “I cannot believe they were representing UKIP, we do not promote this kind of attitude.

“I am 100 per cent sure it has nothing to do with our party members – who have had very good discipline through very tough circumstances themselves.”

The incident was reported to the police but the assailants fled in a car before anyone could stop them.

A spokesperson for Essex Police said: "There were some leaflets ripped up and damage done to a table.

"We will be taking an official statement in due course."

For pictures of the destroyed stand, keep a look out in the Echo next week.