PUB owners have been left shocked after walking in on a crook trying to rip out their safe from a wall.

The Rose Inn in Southminster was targeted by a crook last night, who had forced their way through the side gate and cellar door.

The crook had attempted to cut through and rip out a safe that was built into one of the walls behind the bar.

However, the pub’s handyman who was sleeping upstairs had come down at around 1.55am, interrupting the attempted burglary, and saw the assailant sprint out of the pub.

He gave chase but sadly the crook escaped.

Alison Kirkham, co-owner of The Rose, said the incident has shaken them.

She said: “We have a handyman who stays at the pub a few nights a week, he had just come downstairs to go to the toilet when he saw someone sprint passed the staircase and outside.

“He ran after him but once he was outside there was no sign at all. There was no car nearby, he was clearly on foot, or had someone parked up further away.

“He’d managed to get through the side gate and cellar door, he was after the safe behind the bar - it’s been half pulled out of the wall. Thankfully they didn’t managed to steal anything.

“But it’s still shaken us up quite a bit, my business partner is quite stressed and our handyman’s in a terrible state, knowing he’d got in downstairs whilst he slept.”

Ms Kirkham, who has run the pub for three and a half years, wanted to raise awareness of the incident and says more people need to know, stating similar incidents are happening more and more frequently.

She added: “I waited for a few hours last night but the police couldn’t come. I used to be an officer myself, I’m not having a go at them, I know that if a priority call comes in they have to divert, but this is something the public need to know about.

“We all need to be made aware of these things so we can be more vigilant. The more that is reported the better, we need to help each other with these rural crimes, because right now they’re laughing. They’re laughing at the police and us, and they’ll do it again.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “We have received a report of a burglary at The Rose in Burnham Road, Southminster.

“Someone gained entry to the property shortly before 1.55am this morning.”

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting the crime reference number 42/151472/18 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

UPDATE 12.20pm: Southminster Butchers has confirmed it was also targeted by crooks overnight.

In a post on the company's Facebook page, the butchers said at least two more properties in the area had been hit.

They said: "Southminster Butchers along with the Rose Inn, The 3 Horseshoes and at least two other properties in the area were broken into and burgled last night.

"The police forensics experts have been to us and taken some prints and lifted a footprint from a work table and will be making their way around the Dengie so it seems.

"Any information you may have on any of these burglaries would be greatly appreciated by any of the business owners that work so hard to provide a brilliant service for the public. Don't forget to lock your doors".

Update 2.35pm: An Essex Police spokesman said: "It was reported someone had broken into Southminster Butchers in North Street, Southminster between October 17 and October 18.

"Cupboards and tills were opened and a messy search was carried out."

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting the crime reference number 42/151421/18 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Representatives of the Three Horseshoes in Althorne confirmed a burglary had taken place overnight but were unavailable for further comment.