A family fell victim to a new teenage craze when their empty house was trashed by a gang of booze-fuelled yobs, causing £50,000 damage.

Malcolm and Inger Grant and their five-month-old baby were at a family wedding in Jamaica when the gang - acquaintances of one of their children - broke into their home.

The vandals then set about trashing their home, in Rochford, spraying graffiti, breaking furniture, hacking holes in the walls and smashing decorations and the baby's toys.

The rampage left the family with no home, no furniture and no clothes.

The damage eventually cost £50,000 and took four months to put right.

Mr Grant, 49, a father of four, said: "It was horrendous. While we were at the wedding, our house was being trashed.

"My brother phoned me to let me know, so of course I had to cut my holiday short and come home early to find somewhere for us to live.

"They also drank some vintage champagne which was a wedding present.

"We had been saving that for a special occasion.

"They took our food and cooked themselves dinner."

Mr Grant said he had been told the shocking vandalism was part of a disturbing trend emerging in the US.

He said: "My wife is still terrified they will come back and do some more damage."

* Nine youths have appeared in court in connection with the incident.

The seven boys and two girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are from Basildon, Westcliff, Leigh and Benfleet, and are aged from 15 to 17.

All were charged with trespass and causing £50,000 of damage to the inside of the house.

One, a 17-year-old, was also charged with receiving stolen goods.

At a hearing in Southend Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, the charges were withdrawn, with a warning they could be reinstated.