DAYTRIPPERS feared for their safety after a machete was brandished along a busy seafront.

Families spending the day walking along Southend’s Western Esplanade were confronted by two men armed with the weapon.

Police were called after concerns were raised about the safety of shoppers following the latest incident involving a weapon although fortunately nobody was hurt during the incident at about 5pm on Saturday.

Eyewitnesses reported two men, who were seen drinking near the Three Shells lagoon in Southend, walking in the direction of the pier at around 5pm, waving a large knife around in full view of the public enjoying the weekend sunshine on the seafront.

Further reports described the men, who allegedly had a machete like weapon sticking out of a backpack in the Seaway Car Park in Chancellor Road.

A spokesman from Essex Police said: “A 31-year-old man has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon following reports a man was seen with what was believed to be a knife on Western Esplanade shortly after 5.30pm on June 9.

“Tomasz Konieczny of Cranfield Avenue, London was charged with possession of an offensive weapon and is due to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court on July 2.”

The incident comes at a time of heightened sensitivity around knife crime, in the wake of high profile knife crime incidents including the murder of 19-year-old Fabian Kacica, on Monday, May 14.

The increased number of knife-related incidents in Southend has followed a national trend, with statistics showing knife crime increased by 22 per cent last year.