A man was stabbed in a gang attack involving up to nine people.

Police are searching for seven men and two women after the 27-year-old was set upon in London Road, Southend, after a row.

The gang approached the victim, who was with a second man, at about 3.20am on Saturday and stabbed him in the left armpit.

They ran off and paramedics arrived about six minutes later to treat the victim for a puncture wound.

An ambulance took the man, who is from Tilbury, to Southend Hospital for further treatment for injuries that are not believed to be serious or lifethreatening.

Chief Insp Simon Anslow, district commander at Southend, said: “A friend of the victim said there was a group of people who attacked him.

“The seven men involved all wore skinny jeans and Polo cardigans.

“One was short with spiky hair and wore a grey jumper.

“The two women are white and about 5ft 6ins tall.

“One is blonde and wore a black top and shorts with a floral pattern.

“The other woman has dark hair and was in a one-piece top and shorts combo with a floral pattern.”

Samantha Coleman, 45, who lives in a flat in London Road, said: “I heard a lot of screaming and shouting. It woke me up.

“I looked out and there was a big group of people, but I couldn’t see what was going on.

“A few minutes later, I heard sirens and the ambulance turned up.

“It’s very shocking to hear that a man was stabbed. I hope he makes a full recovery.”

A staff member at Celco Lighting, in London Road, said the street was notorious for violence and drug dealing at the junction with Park Road.

He said: “Sometimes we see drug dealing on a daily basis and even in the middle of the day. Drug deals go on behind the bins in between people’s houses.

“I have seen crowds of people waiting for drug dealers to turn up.

“They arrive by car and deal out of car windows. They are very blatant about it.

“It’s really bad around here.

These past six months have got incredibly bad.

“The violence at night and the drug dealing have got to be linked, definitely.”

Anyone with information about the stabbing is urged to call police on 101