THREE men in Halloween-style masks forced their way into a house at knifepoint during a terrifying raid - leaving one man needing hospital treatment.

The incident happened in Goldings Crescent, Vange, in the early hours of Friday morning.

Police later found a significant amount of suspected class A drugs when they arrested the men nearby.

A resident, who asked not to be named, said she saw a young man trying to gain access to several houses just before the raid at 2.15am.

He said: “He was walking along using his phone as a torch. He was on his own from what I could tell.

“I saw a police car come along and I called them to ask what was going on.

“Then another car came and then an ambulance.

“I only looked out because I thought I heard somebody clambering over a fence. He didn’t look as though he was trying to run away but maybe he had been separated from his mates.”

Two men were assaulted during the raid and one suffered a minor head injury.

At least one of the attackers was wearing a pumpkin-style mask.

Police recovered four knives and about 24 bags containing white powder.

Another neighbour said residents were trying to increase membership of a neighbourhood watch scheme due to the increasing number of burglaries in the area.

She said: “It is a worry. There was an aggravated burglary in Moss Road a few weeks ago and there have been other problems.

“We need to look out for each other.”

An Essex Police spokesman said three men were still being questioned at time of going to press.

He said: “Police were contacted shortly before 2.15am on Friday, October 21, with reports three men had forced their way into a property in Goldings Crescent, Vange.

“They assaulted two men aged 28 and 19, who were inside before stealing jewellery, money and a mobile phone. The victims were not seriously injured.

“Police and the ambulance service attended. Officers carried out a search of the area and arrested three people nearby.”

A 21-year-old man, of no fixed address, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary.

A 16-year-old boy from Leigh and a 23-year-old man, of no fixed address, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary and possession of drugs.

An ambulance service spokesman said: “We received a call today at 2.23am to reports of an incident on Goldings Crescent in Basildon and sent a rapid response vehicle and ambulance crew to assist.

“At the scene a man, believed to be in his 20s, was treated for a head injury before being taken to Basildon Hospital for further care.”