A SEAFRONT road was closed after an elderly man collapsed and injured his head.

Western Esplanade in Southend was blocked by several police cars just before 2pm after a man in his seventies fell and hit his head on the pavement near Gilbies cafe.

Owner Sandra Gilbert said: “It was an elderly Indian gentleman who seems to have had a heart attack and obviously couldn’t save himself because there was so much blood – he just went straight down.

“There were about nine police cars here and they cordoned the road off and, when the ambulances arrived, they were doing CPR on him for about half an hour.

“I don’t know whether they were able to save him. It’s a shame.”

A police spokesman said: “Police were called at about 1.50pm to reports a man had been taken ill in Western Esplanade.”

“The ambulance service were also called to tend to the man, believed to be aged in his seventies.”

The road is now open.