Pools of blood were splattered along a quiet residential street in Laindon following a terrifying knife attack.

A Basildon man in his twenties suffered slash wounds to his hand and face after he was attacked in Somerset Road at about 1am.

The attack happened after residents heard a group of about three people shouting and fighting for about ten minutes, before the street fell silent again.

“The wounded man is then believed to have staggered down the street and through an alleyway, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

The ambulance service was called and they sent an ambulance crew and a rapid response vehicle to nearby Norfolk Close, Laindon at 1.20am on Saturday.

Paramedics took the man to Basildon Hospital for further treatment with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

Police cordoned off half the road until about 11am for forensics teams Postman Michael Stratford, 67, of Somerset Road, said: “I was woken up because of the shouting.

“It sounded like they were going to be violent.

“It sounded like there was a bit of pushing and shoving. It seemed like people were fighting amongst themselves.

“I would have called the police if it went on for much longer but it all calmed down. I came out in the morning and the police had cordoned off the road. I realised it was more serious than I thought.

“I was very shocked when I heard someone had been knifed.

You don’t know if he could have died.

“There is a load of blood all the way down the street, it looked as if he had been staggering in the middle of the road.”

Graphic designer Lee Hobbs, 39, also of Somerset Road, said: “My neighbour was walking their dog and said that there were some spots of blood found in the alleyway and the police were taking pictures. It was quite scary to see the road all taped off.

“It’s very rare for something like that to happen here.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Police are investigating an assault which happened in Somerset Road, Laindon, where aman aged in his twenties, from Basildon, received slash wounds to his upper body at about 1am on Saturday.

“He was taken to Basildon Hospital for treatment.

Police believe another man, also aged in his twenties from Basildon, is responsible and inquiries are continuing.

The attacker is still at large and so far, no arrests have been made.

Anyone with information can call Essex Police on 101 or Crimestopper