Gangs threw bar stools, bottles and glasses at each other when they clashed in the town centre just hours before a pre-season football friendly in Southend.
At least 20 men held a pitched battle opposite Southend Central rail station in Clifftown Road, charging at each other and hurling anything they could get their hands on yesterday evening.
It is believed by eyetwitnesses that the fighting thugs were Millwall and West Ham fans who had met up for the fight before a match between Millwall and Southend United.
Paramedics treated one man who had been bottled, but when police arrived the thugs scattered and no arrests have yet been made.
Shopkeepers hearing the commotion looked out of their stores at about 5.30pm to see men outside Saks bar covered in blood. Beautician Nicole Wall, 23, who was with a client in Soleil tanning studio, said: "There were loads of lads mouthing off.
"One group then ran past the window down the street towards the other and back again. Then the other group ran at them and ran back again.
"They clashed together right outside the shop. There were bottles and glasses thrown. They picked up shop signboards and threw them."
Published Thursday July 22, 2004
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