A NIGHTCLUB boss told how a row erupted outside a Southend nightclub just minutes before two men were mown down by a BMW in a nearby car park.

Tom Gowans, manager of Talk Nightclub, in Lucy Road, spoke to the Echo about the shocking incident in the neighbouring Seaway car park and said such drama was rare.

Two men were taken to hospital in the aftermath at about 4.20am Saturday. Meanwhile the BMW, thought to contain two other men, sped off into the night.

Mr Gowan said: “I’m aware of an incident in the car park after we had finished trading. It’s my understanding that someone was run over and the driver drove off.

“Whether they were deliberately aiming for the person, or just hit him by accident and they didn’t want to get caught, I don’t know.”

Detectives from Southend CID are now handling the case and believe it is linked to a row near the front of the club at closing time.

Mr Gowan said: “I believe at the end of the night during dispersal there was an argument between a couple of groups of people.

“We keep marshals outside Lucy Road until people have gone.

“At the end of the night I saw a heavy police presence and an ambulance in the car park.

“We allocated a couple of members of security to assist the police, but they said they didn’t need any assistance. We would have to check the CCTV.”

An ambulance service spokesman said two men were treated at the scene for minor injuries and taken to Southend Hospital.

Mr Gowan said the car park was usually a trouble-free zone, despite it being used by club customers in the early hours.

He said: “It’s not our car park so it’s used by a range of businesses.

“You get quite a lot of out of town people as well.

“Chameleon Club customers use it, customers from Pockets and The Box when it’s open, as well as people visiting the seafront.

“It’s very rare to have trouble there.”

A Southend Council spokesman confirmed CCTV images had now been passed to police. Anyone with information should contact Det Sgt Kelly Thurston, of Southend CID, on 101.