THREE men were injured in a hit-and-run after a brawl spiralled out of control.

A fight erupted in Furtherwick Road, Canvey after a man was refused entry to the Haystack pub.

He returned in a Ford Focus car and hit three men on the pavement.

The car was dumped and set on fire in Benderloch.

Warren Garner, owner of the Haystack, said: “There were two guys fighting outside with belts, and one of my doormen tried to break it up. Then one of the men got into a car and mounted the kerb.

“We had an Eighties night in here, mostly 40-year-olds, and they were all looking out of the window at the incident.

“There was no fighting inside the pub. Whenever something happens down here people always say: ‘It’s the Haystack’, but that is what I’ve got to live with.”

A man, 19, is believed to have needed facial surgery at Chelmsford’s Broomfield Hospital after the incident at 10pm on Friday. Two other men had minor injuries.

The car was found on fire nearby, and damaged a van when it went up in flames.

Firefighters from Canvey extinguished the blaze.

Dale Golder, 20, of Greenview, said: “The car made a loud bang, I thought it was someone’s house on fire.

“There was a lot of smoke coming from the area and persistent banging noises.”

It is understood the culprit was refused entry to the pub, because he is barred, and then got into an altercation nearby.

Police confirmed they are investigating an incident in whicn three men were hit by a Ford Focus car after it mounteda kerb.

Anyone with any information can Canvey police on 101.