A MAN suffered a fractured nose and cuts and bruises to his head and face after he was struck with a children’s slide during a mass brawl.

Emergency response officers were called to Clay Hill Road, Vange, after several members of the public reported 40 people were fighting in the street with weapons.

When officers arrived at the scene, at about 9.15pm on Saturday, they found a man, believed to be aged in his forties, with blood all over his head and face.

He was taken to Basildon Hospital for further treatment and doctors found he was not seriously injured.

Det Supt Kevin Baldwin, the south local policing area superintendent, said: “We got a call at 9pm after the victim had had an altercation with some people in Clay Hill Road.

“He had been hit over the head with a kid’s slide.

“He was taken to hospital and his injuries turned out not to be as serious as they were originally thought to be.

“He had a hairline fracture to his nose and some cuts and bruises.

“We are just treating the incident as actual bodily harm and not grievous bodily harm.”

PC Marek Jaworski, from Basildon’s community policing team, urged witnesses and anyone with information to get in touch as the attackers are still at large.

He said: “We originally got a call to reports of a fight involving 40 people with weapons near to Vange Hill Drive.

“A second call then came in to say that a man had been seriously injured in a fight.

“Our understanding is that there was a misunderstanding between a large group of people and he became injured. We still don’t know who is responsible for the attack.”

So far, two people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

A 32-year-old man from Basildon was arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray. He has been bailed to return to Basildon police station on Sunday, December 11.

A man, 25, from Portsmouth, was arrested on suspicion of drugs possession and later released without charge.

Anyone with information can call Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously. on 0800 555 111.