A TEENAGER was confronted by armed police after a disturbance outside a seafront attraction.

Armed officers, police dog units and the force’s helicopter descended on Southend seafront – outside the Sea Life Adventure Aquarium, in Eastern Esplanade – to arrest the 17-year-old from Southend for firearms offences.

A boy and a girl, both 16, also from Southend, were also arrested on suspicion of affray.

Police cars blocked the eastbound carriageway of the road, from the junction with Southchurch Avenue, for about 40 minutes and officers directed traffic away from the scene.

David Marshall, 61, of Eastern Esplanade, said: “I heard shouting and looked out the window to see two armed police officers with a lad on the floor pointing their guns at him.

“Three other people were up against the wall and a big police dogwas keeping them there.

“The guy got taken off and a couple of others got carted off, but I had no idea what it was all about.”

Richard Cox, assistant manager of Bobby Jo’s 50’s Diner, in Eastern Esplanade, said: “I saw someone being held down in the back of a police car and they looked like they were having a seizure.

“Police had the sniffer dogs out going through people’s bags in the street.

“It’s worrying to think there could be firearms so close to the diner. It makes you wonder how safe the area really is.”

George Bronze, barman at Smithy’s on the Esplanade, went out into the street after hearing a police dog barking onWednesday evening.

He said: “There were maybe five marked cars, dog units and even a couple of unmarked police cars.”

A police spokesman said: “Police received reports of a disturbance involving men and women near the Sea Life centre at about 8.10pm on Wednesday.

“Officers and the police helicopter attended. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Southend CID on 101.”