A hammer-wielding maniac launched a horrific attack on a family from Rayleigh - leaving two men in hospital with serious injuries.

The family were involved in a road-rage nightmare after wandering into Ilford by accident.

A 25-year-old man was driving his mother and father, 55 and 59, to Gatwick Airport, where the couple were due to fly to Tunisia for a winter break.

But the closure of the M25 after a fire on Sunday afternoon meant the three got lost following a diversion.

Finding themselves in Ilford, they pulled over at about 1.45pm to look at a map but were involved in a collision with a silver car.

The two men in the car began a heated argument with the family before making a phone call.

Moments later, a black Subaru Impreza, arrived at the scene and the driver got out to argue with the family.

He then produced what police described as a large hammer and attacked them, bludgeoning the 59-year-old father over the head and leaving him with a fractured skull.

See today's Echo for the full story.