A man has been remanded in custody charged with imprisoning two teenagers and attacking them with a machete.

Christopher Lines, 23, from New Park Road, Hockley, has been charged with two counts of unlawful wounding and two counts of injurious imprisonment.

He was automatically committed to Basildon Crown Court, where he is now due to appear on April 4, for a plea and case management hearing.

No application was made for bail and Lines was remanded in custody.

All four charges relate to an attack on two boys, aged 17 and 18, which happened in a barn in Ashingdon Road, Ashingdon.

Yesterday the two boys were believed to be still recovering in hospital.