Blood was left on the pavement and walls of shops in Rayleigh’s High Street after a man was viciously attacked.

The man, aged in his thirties, was found with serious facial injuries after he had been assaulted in the street.

Because of the amount of blood on the pavement and walls, people were concerned that the man had been glassed in the face.

Police have said that they believe he was punched in the face but investigations into the attack, which happened at about 11pm on Friday, are still ongoing.

Paramedics attended the scene to treat the victim for facial injuries and he was sent to Southend Hospital for further treatment.

The incident has shocked traders, who said they have never seen so much blood before.

Christopher Martin, 20, who works as a barista, said: “I saw the aftermath of the fight. I was walking up the alley on the High Street and that was when I saw the blood.

“There was blood everywhere. It was on the walls from Barclays to Savers. It was so scary, I have never seen so much blood before in my life.

“Generally, the area is all right, and this is the first time I’ve seen something like this.”

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: “I got to work about 5.30am on Saturday and the pavement was covered in blood. I heard it was someone who got glassed in the face.”

Rochford Council also received reports of blood splattered on the walls of the shops.

A spokesman said: “Rochford Council’s street cleansing contractors, Suez, cleaned an area of Rayleigh High Street on Monday after an altercation took place.

“The area was cleared and was usable within an hour.”

This latest incident happened less than a month after a fight took place outside of the Pink Toothbrush in the early hours of Saturday, September 30.

A man suffered serious head injuries after he was assaulted by a man. He was hit in the head with a bottle outside the club. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Speaking about the latest attack, an Essex Police spokesman said: “We were called by the ambulance service to the High Street at around 11pm on Friday to reports of a man found injured.

“The victim, a man in his 30s, was taken to hospital for treatment on injuries to his face.”