A MAN was arrested after a vigilante group ‘sting’ in Southend.

The 49-year-old man, from the town, was held and subsequently released under investigation following the confrontation in Clifftown Road, on Tuesday.

Paedophile hunters, working under the banner Cobra UK, confronted the man after using a decoy profile purporting to be a 13-year-old girl.

During a live stream of the confrontation, the group accused the man of sending indecent images to the decoy profile, as well as arranging to meet the ‘child’.

The stream begun at about 1.15pm on Tuesday afternoon, and lasted for roughly 40 minutes.

The video concluded as police arrived in Clifftown Parade and arrested a man.

In a strange twist, as the hunters gave a shout-out to the decoy during the video, the suspect turned to the camera and said: “Thank you from me as well.”

One of the hunters responded and said: “Wow he is thanking us as well.

“I don’t think we have ever had a thank you before.”

The man then added: “I just want to be normal.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “An 49-year-old man was arrested in Clifftown Road, Southend, on suspicion of sexual grooming just before 1.50pm on April 23.

“The man, from Southend, has since been released under investigation.”

This incident was the latest in a number of paedophile hunter snares leading to arrests in south Essex.

In February, one incident saw a man arrested on Canvey after being confronted by Secret Whispers UK, while a man from Leigh was arrested over alleged sexual communications with an adult posing as a 13-year-old child, following a sting by group Soloceptors.

Paedophile hunter groups have grown in prominence in recent years, with many across the country using decoy profiles to snare alleged perverts.

Their actions have proved controversial with critics pointing to potential issues such as entrapment.