AN angry East Tilbury grandmother has called for an increase in security at the village's rail station and improved policing in the village.

Linda Mayer spoke up after her grandson was robbed at the station on Saturday (2 September) evening.

He had been visiting Lakeside with his girlfriend but when he arrived back at the station he was confronted by a group of three youths, all in their mid teens and wearing balaclavas.

They forced their victim, who recently started work as an apprentice, up against a fence and made threats to assault him before stealing his phone and his trainers.

It is believed they left the area by train.

Mrs Mayer says she believes trhere should be security guards stationed at East Tilbury, as there are at Grays and sometimes at Stanford-le-Hope.

She says: "My question is why there is no security at the station? The police tell me this happens on a regular basis on the line. Are they waiting until someone is seriously hurt or stabbed?"

Police are investigating the incident.