Southend disorder: Children aged 14 among arrests after machete gangs filmed fighting in street

Children as young as 14 were among those arrested after a night of violence that saw machete-wielding groups fighting in the streets of a seaside resort.

Eight people were arrested after disorder broke out in Southend on Tuesday night, with social media footage showing crowds of people sprinting to flee the violence.

Essex Police said on Thursday that the eight, initially arrested for offences including possession of offensive weapons, had been further arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

The eight were men and boys aged between 14 and 18, said police.

A further dispersal order has been put in place from 2pm Thursday until 2pm Friday, covering Marine Parade, Pier Hill, High Street, Western Esplanade and Southend Central and Southend Victoria train stations.

• Footage of the fighting flooded social media in the hours after the disorder

In response to the disorder, extra officers are being put on the streets for the coming days, and police said they were aware of a further event being planned for Thursday evening.

Chief Supt Leighton Hammett said: "We will be ready for that and will use the tools available to us to prevent any disorder.

“My message is clear - if you’re coming here to create disorder or commit crime, don’t bother. If you’re planning to bring weapons, drugs, or carry out violence you’ll be met by officers and dealt with."

The eight people arrested remain in custody and officers are working through "volumes of footage to understand what has happened and individuals' roles in the disorder".

A dedicated phone line - 0800 096 0095 - has been set up for people to call in with information.

Jane Gardner, Essex's deputy police, fire and crime commissioner, described the scenes as "outrageous".

“Knife crime and gangs are a blight on our communities. The outrageous behaviour of the groups who visited Southend [on Tuesday] was appalling and it is right the police took the robust enforcement action they did.

"Having been fully briefed by the chief constable I am pleased that this robust approach is continuing with extra officers on patrol and a number of arrests already being made."

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