POLICE have reacted furiously after two women support officers were locked in a burning toilet block by suspected pranksters.

The police community support officers (PCSOs) had been called to Priory Park, Southend, to investigate a report of nuisance youths about 6.30pm Tuesday.

They spotted smoke billowing out of the women's toilets in the park and found a large roll of toilet paper alight inside when they checked it out.

But as the officers tried to leave the smoke-logged building, they discovered someone had shut and bolted the outside door, locking them in.

Eventually, a passer-by heard their shouts for help and freed them before firefighters arrived.

Both suffered smoke inhalation and one woman cut her hand where she tried to break free.

They were taken to Southend Hospital for a check-up, but were back at work yesterday .

Mick Holland, Neighbourhood Watch and Park Watch administrator, said although officers believed pranksters were behind the incident, they were not seeing the funny side.

He said: "This was totally and utterly unacceptable. These people deserve to be locked up. It is absolutely appalling and potentially could have been very, very serious.

"Normally I hear about low-level nuisance, but there has been nothing as serious as this before."

Insp Martyn Pinkney, of Southend Police, added: "We think that this was not a serious attempt to harm the officers, but a prank that could have had serious consequences.

"We believe we know the identities of the youths involved and will speak to them in the next few days."

Forensics officers have taken away the door lock for examination and it has been replaced with a similar lock.

Fire crews from Southend said the building, which measures three metres by six metres, was heavily smoke-logged even though only 5 per cent of the block was alight.

Ian Robertson, councillor for public protection, condemned the act, adding youths were sometimes a problem in the town's parks because the gates to them were no longer closed.

This was because it often caused trouble for police to attend incidents inside the parks if troublemakers had scaled the fences.

He said: "They deserve to get caught.

"We only have two park rangers left after the budget cuts, so we haven't got any money to provide patrolling services."