POLICE rushed to a pub to investigate reports of a suspected attack...after fake blood left over from Halloween caused a stir.

Firefighters were carrying out a routine health and safety inspection at The Railway Hotel, in Clifftown Road, Southend, when they spotted bloody footprints caused by the stage make-up.

They quickly called police.

Despite landlord David Dulake, 50, insisting nothing untoward had happened, officers stormed into the pub - to the amusement of customers.

Mr Dulake also saw the funny side of the incident.

He told the Echo: “The fire service were just doing a regular check when they found the blood and bloody footprints.

“For Halloween we had a play on at the hotel. During the play there was some kind of monster with a balloon full of fake blood that was burst. There must have been some left over that hadn’t been cleaned up.

“We told the fire service and police officers that there was nothing wrong. They were just doing their job.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said the fire service raised the alarm at about 8pm on Friday.

He said: “Police were contacted with concerns following a routine fire inspection at the Railway Hotel in Clifftown Road, Southend.

“Officers attended and found there were no suspicious circumstances.

“Police were called with good intent and it is right for members of the public and partner agencies to contact us if they have any concerns so that we can provide appropriate assistance.”

A spokesman for Essex Fire Service added: “Our firefighters are trained in safeguarding and when attending any incident have a duty of care to report any abnormal circumstances and share this information with our partners.”