A NOTORIOUS street could become out-of-bounds after dark as drastic measures are taken to stem a worrying spike in knife crime.

Mark Flewitt, councillor responsible for public protection in Southend, is demanding a curfew is imposed in York Road after two men were left in a serious condition following a double stabbing last week.

A mobile police station, which was set up to offer reassurance to concerned residents, was set alight on Saturday night.

Mr Flewitt said: “We have experienced a situation which frankly is bordering upon lawlessness.

“I have asked for a curfew in York Road because enough of these kinds of incidents have happened to call for these kinds of measures. It is now far beyond acceptable.

“Local councillors are powerless in this respect. We can pass on information but there comes a time that we have got to reclaim the streets. We have reached that point and I don’t know what more I can do.”

He said details of the curfew, which would ban residents from leaving their homes during set times, will need to be finalised by Essex Police.

Mr Flewitt has asked Police and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst to support his request.

Southend Council’s Community Safety Partnership has also written to Home Secretary Amber Rudd asking for more police resources in the borough.

York Road resident Simon Weddell, 49, said: “I have lived on York Road for two years and it is just getting worse.

“People don’t feel safe. I have zero faith in the police and I want to get away from this street as soon as possible.”

Mike Assenheim, independent councillor for Shoebury, added: “The proportion of knife crime is just getting stupid.

“Only last week I found a large knife in York Road car park and could find no police to report it to.

“It was only when I made a fuss and complained by email to the Chief Constable that the knife was collected from me.”

A 22-year-old man was left with chest injuries and a 39-year-old suffered back injuries after Wednesday night’s stabbing.

Both men are expected to make a full recover but detectives are still hunting their attackers.

One of the victims was found outside a caravan which was raided by the drugs squad weeks earlier, leading to three arrests.

The Echo can reveal the caravan has now moved near Seaway car park, in Lucy Road, with police monitoring activity around it.