A PCSO chased two 14-year-olds down an alleyway to a dead end after a boy was beaten up in the street.

A member of the public raised the alarm after driving past a fight at the corner of Clay Hill Road and Timberlog Lane, Basildon.

She said that one boy was being hit and punched by two others.

PCSO Dean Chesterman, who was patrolling nearby, soon arrived at the scene and found that the two culprits had off down an alleyway by Bardfield Primary School.

He said: "The assault was spotted by a member of the public who was driving past and a number of people stopped to assist the victim.

"He was in the back of a vehicle being cared for by the time I got there.

"I was told that the kids had run off up an alleyway. I caught up to them and they kept running.

"They clearly didn't know the area because they ran straight into a dead end, whereas I have been patrolling this area for seven years."

Mr Chesterman then detained the two boys and call for back-up for an officer to arrest them.

He said: "From what I saw the victim had cuts and bruises to his head, but I was only there a matter of seconds before I had ran off.

"He did get taken to hospital for treatment."

Insp Rob Brettell, from Basildon Police, praised the actions of the PCSO.

He tweeted: "Everyone wants to run today, maybe following the marathon it's in the air. Well done PCSO Chesterman another two now arrested for actual bodily harm."

An Essex Police spokesman said: "Two boys were arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm following the assault of a 14-year-old boy in Clay Hill Road, Basildon, at around 4.20pm on Wednesday, April 27.

"One boy, aged 14, from Benfleet, has been released on bail pending further enquiries until June 14.

"Another boy, also 14, was released without charge.

"The victim received cuts and bruises."

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

Alternatively you can visit crimestoppers-uk.org.