A man is in hospital with a bleed on the brain after a serious assault in a town centre nightclub.

Dean Bishop, 30, from Westcliff, was out with his friend Zen White when their night came to a violent end a Hush bar in Clarence Road, Southend.

The pair claim they were attacked by a doorman at the club after a dispute broke out inside.

Dean said: “We had been out in Old Leigh on Friday night like we normally do and had headed into Southend for the end of the night.

“Zen was in the middle of some kind of disagreement and I went over to see if I could calm things down.”

Zen, 30, from Leigh, added: “I think it just got heated and escalated from there.

“We were drunk but we don’t go out looking for trouble. We still have no idea why it happened.”

Zen says he was hit first and then Dean was knocked to the floor before being assaulted by the door man.

He added: “Next thing I know, the door man swung for me and I was on the ground being punched and kicked.

“It was just pure rage directed my way - I thought he wanted to kill me. I was petrified.”

Dean managed to flee the scene until he was unable to go any further and was found by the emergency services.

“I remember someone who helped me after I just ran off and took me into their house but then I got scared being on my own so ran off down Marine Avenue and that’s where the police found me.

“I went to hospital but discharged myself because I was scared on my own but then I had to go back because my injuries were worse than I thought.”

Dean is currently at Southend Hospital with a fractured eye-socket, a fractured cheekbone and a bleed on the brain.

He is awaiting treatment from specialists before he can be discharged.

He added: “I think something needs to be done because he could do this to someone else.

“We have never been involved in anything like this but Southend has changed.”

Zen added: “It was really upsetting to see my mate like that. Nothing like this has ever happened before. It wouldn’t happen in Leigh but Southend is just getting worse and worse.”

Hush were not available to comment.

Police said: "Officers were called to help a man who had been assaulted in Southend.

"The victim, in his 30s, had been assaulted on Clarence Road just before 3.40am on Saturday, March 24.

"The victim had injuries to his face and arms.

"We are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen the assault take place.

"If you have any information about this incident, please call 101 quoting the reference 144 of 24/03.

"Alternatively, contact the Crimestoppers charity 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org"