ARMED gangsters attacked a 17-year-old boy and injured him so badly he had to be rushed to hospital with serious head wounds.

Eyewitnesses reported a gang of up to six people attacking the boy with bottles and a metal pole.

One woman, who lives in the area and has asked not to be named, said: “We witnessed it from our bedroom window.

“We got up to look out the window when we heard someone shout ‘you’re dead’ and glass smashing.

“They were out of sight at this point but the next thing we saw was a lad dressed in black on his bike.

“He fell off his bike in the carpark of the Scott Park surgery and as he got up, four or five teenagers came and started throwing punches.

“They had broken glass bottles and were hitting him over the head.

“We lost sight of them as they ran off.”

The woman’s husband called police immediately and she said the response arrived within ten minutes - including a riot van.

She added: “They spent a good 40 minutes looking for those responsible and collecting evidence.

“It was horrible to witness. You don’t expect such violence on your doorstep. We thought it was just kids having a scrap.”

A knife was also recovered from the scene.

Detectives are appealing for information.

It happened at about 9.40pm on Monday in Western Approaches, Southend.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We received reports that a 17-year-old boy on a bike was attacked by up to six teenagers in Western Approaches.

“We also received information that they were possibly armed with bottles and a metal pole. Our officers also recovered a knife at the scene.

“The victim was taken to hospital with four wounds to his head and we continue to treat the attack as targeted.”

A 19-year-old from Leigh was arrested at around 1.30am yesterday on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and he remains in custody.

A police spokesman also called for the driver of a silver Ford Fiesta seen driving from the scene to come forward. Call Southend CID on 101 quoting crime reference 42/148657/19.