A driver has been left with a £1,000 repair bill after yobs jumped on his car and dented the bonnet.

Up to five cars are believed to have been damaged after teenagers were spotted jumping onto car roofs and bonnets in Redgrave Road and Pitseaville Grove, in Vange.

Mitchell Russell, 26, of The Hedgerow, discovered his bonnet had been dented twice and a footprint mark left on the car after he drove to work on Tuesday. Her only bought the two-year-old Renault Clio two weeks ago.

The printer technician said: “I went to work and someone noticed that my car had been dented.

“There were two dents in the bonnet and a dirty footprint on the side, you could tell it had been jumped on.

“It’s going to be repaired but it will cost me £1,070 to get a new bonnet. It’s really annoying as I only bought the car a fortnight ago.

“One of my neighbours, who is a taxi driver, said he saw kids jumping from car to car. He ran out and told them to get off the cars. He saw them on the bonnet of one of the cars.

“I can’t understand why kids would do this.”

Sgt Angie Torrance, from Basildon Police, said officers were investigating up to five linked incidents.

She said: “Between 6pm on Tuesday and 1.30pm on Wednesday, an unknown suspect has walked over a vehicle’s bonnet causing £400 damage.

“The red Hyundai i10 was parked in Pitseaville Grove, Vange. Scenes of crime officers have attended and taken footwear marks from the bonnet.

“During the same night, suspects unknown have caused damage to the bonnet of a blue Renault Clio in Redgrave Road.

“Scenes of crime officers have attended and taken photographs.

“We are investigating reports that four or five vehicles have been damaged in the same way.”

Anyone with information can call Essex Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.