CROWBAR-carrying thugs attempted to break into a beauty salon under the cover of darkness.

Two men tried to break into Station Hair and Beauty, in High Street, Mistley, on Tuesday at about 11.44pm.

The pair were seen on the salon’s CCTV cameras pulling into the car park in front of the railway station in a car which police have since said was stolen.

Glynne Gerrard, who owns the salon, which is attached to Mistley Railway Station, said: “Two people, who had their faces covered, got out of the car, both carrying large crowbars and went straight at the glazed door but fortunately this didn’t break.

“Then they went back to the car and after a while they came back again and threw our large plant pots at the door.

“Luckily, the door didn’t smash so they just drove off.”

Mr Gerrard said the incident has left the salon with a badly damaged front door and he said he feels both upset and angry.

He added: “We are frustrated because we have spent a lot of time and effort revamping it and somebody tried to break in.

“I don’t know what they were after.”

The salon opened in 2018 after Mr Gerrard and his partner Jess Wilson renovated the vacant building.

The business is attached to the Grade II listed railway station.

Mr Gerrard, 52, said police visited the salon to look at the CCTV footage and take the registration number of the car which was used in the attempted raid.

As the business is based at a railway station, the British Transport Police are also investigating the incident.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: “We received a report at 8.26am on Wednesday of an attempted burglary at Mistley Railway Station.

“Two men are reported to have tried breaking into a store.

“They then left the area empty-handed.

“Inquiries into the incident are going.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via the website at crimestoppers-uk.org.