Muggers punched a man in the back of the head and stole his wallet and mobile phone as he walked away from a bus stop.

The victim, a black man in his 20s, from Southend, had been talking to a young man a woman he did not know by the bus stop behind Sainsbury's, in Queensway, Southend, on Saturday afternoon.

He started walking away towards London Road, Southend, but was punched in the back of the head at around 3.40pm and fell to the floor, before he was searched and had his wallet, containing £24 and bank cards, and his Nokia mobile phone stolen.

The young man and woman, who it is thought carried out the robbery, then ran off towards the High Street and were spotted a short time later walking along London Road past Pizza Express.

The man was white, in his late teens, with short dark hair, wearing a grey hooded top.

The woman was also white, in her mid 20s, wearing a dark black bomber-style jacket.

The victim had to be taken by ambulance to Basildon Hospital for treatment on his head wound.

Police want to talk to anyone who saw the attackers talking to the victim at the bus stop, attacking him from behind, or later in the town centre.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det Con Gavin Wiseman on 01702 431212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.