A MAN was left with serious facial injuries after he was attacked by a group of teenagers.

Police were called to The Approach, Rayleigh, shortly before 1am on Saturday after paramedics found the man, aged 39, badly hurt.

He was taken to Southend Hospital but later transferred to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, for specialist surgery to his facial injuries.
 

It is thought he was driving to pick up a family member from Rayleigh railway station when he was flagged down by a gang of around 12 teenagers.

The same group were seen earlier in the evening trying to flag down other motorists passing the junction of Down Hall Road and Creswick Avenue.

They assaulted another man and smashed the windows of a cab belonging to Rayleigh Taxis.

Police are carrying out extensive house-to-house enquiries searching for witnesses.

They believe the youngsters responsible live locally.

Dc Jon Holden, investigating officer, said: "Between midnight to 1am on Saturday, we received four separate calls relating to a number of mid to late-aged teenagers loitering at the entrance to Creswick Avenue.

"They were attempting to flag down passing motorists with the intention of intimidating them.

"These young men are responsible for not only assaulting the man who is now at Broomfield Hospital, but also another man who was returning home after a night out in a taxi and damage to the taxi.

"We need to identify this group and their parents.”
 

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.