AN axe wielding thug has admitted making threats outside a nightclub.

Brave door staff at The Pink Toothbrush were able to intervene to stop the incident escalating and ensure nobody got hurt after a 55-year-old arrived outside the Rayleigh club.

James Darby, 55, of Daws Heath Road, was arrested for the incident and admitted possessing the weapon and threatening a member of the public when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court.

The charge relates to an incident in the early hours of November 18.

Darby was seen outside the Pink Toothbrush night club in Rayleigh, armed with an axe and threatening to use it.

Darby threatened the victim in such a way that they believed they were going to be attacked with an axe.

Armed police responded and rushed to the nightclub on Rayleigh High Street.

The incident took place on November 18.

At about 2.30am Essex Police received reports a man on High Street had an axe and was swinging it above his head.

Officers, including armed police, quickly arrived to find the man had been detained by nightclub door staff in an attempt to stop him hurting anybody else, or himself.

Darby was arrested at the scene and taken to Southend police station.

No-one was injured during the incident and night club goers praised door staff who were credited with preventing the incident escalating further.

This was the latest in a number of violent incidents at the controversial night club which led to a battle to keep its licence.

Essex Police’s licensing team submitted paperwork to Rochford Council on February 7, asking for a summary review of the licence. The club was allowed to keep its licence after carrying out a review of the placement of its CCTV, installed more cameras and fitted the minimum five employed door staff with body cameras. Also, all door staff working for the club, who are employed by a third party agency, must undertake a refresher on physical intervention. Sentencing will be on July 9.