A MAN was struck across the head with a plank of wood during a street robbery.

The 40-year-old victim was in the alleyway at the end of Short Street, in Southend, when he was approached by three men armed with a knife.

They demanded money, before whacking him across the back of the head with the piece of wood.

It happened in the alleyway which leads to Kenway between 8.30am and 8:45am on Friday March 16.

The gang are believed to have split up, running off empty-handed back into Kenway and also into Short Street.

One of the robbers was a black man, six foot tall, aged 25 to 35 wearing dark jeans and a dark green hoody. The second robber was also back and aged 25 to 30 years old wearing blue jeans and a blue long-sleeved t-shirt and a blue scarf around his face. The third man is white, about five feet five, slight, and was wearing a blue and white tracksuit top and bottoms.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Det Con Dave Thompson or his colleagues at Southend on 101 or you can leave information anonymously at Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.