A man told how he was threatened by thieves who had just stolen a bike with hammers and an angle grinder.

Richard Jackson, 37, who lives in Benfleet, was on his way home when he saw four men on two motorbikes loitering around a scooter at Benfleet train station.

Mr Jackson became suspicious and went back to the station to find them stealing the bike. He contacted police who instructed him to keep a close eye on the brazen thieves.

He said: “I saw them making off with the bike. I followed them down High Road in my car while giving an update of our whereabouts to the police.

“They drove into a dead end, it appeared they didn’t know their way around Benfleet. They got off their bikes and dashed towards me with hammers. They were shouting something, I didn’t hear what they were saying because I had my windows rolled up.”

He reversed his car to escape and the thieves rushed to their bikes and sped past him to get back on High Road. Mr Jackson chased them until reaching Tesco Express at the corner of High Road and London Road.

He said: “One of them got off and ran towards me with an angle grinder. I quickly drove away. I wasn’t scared at the time because of the adrenaline. But when I got home I was shaking all over.” Police confirmed they received a report at around 2.50pm of a stolen scooter at Benfleet Station last Wednesday.

They were last seen in the Pound Lane area riding towards the A127.

Witnesses are asked to call 101.