A pair of vile crooks attempted to steal a woman's dogs for illegal fighting.

The woman was approached by the men in a van in Southwick Road, Canvey.

The men attempted to convince her to let her dogs fight but the woman managed to get away.

A spokesman Essex Police said: "We were called with reports that a woman was approached by two men who were asking about her dogs, on Southwick Road, Canvey.

"At around 1.30pm a woman in her 70s was approached by two men who were in a small white van.

"The first man was described as having curly ginger hair and the second man had short brown hair.

"The men tried to bait her into a dog fight, which she declined.

"Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call us on 101 quoting the incident 575 of 23 November."