Police swarmed around a Billericay bank after a man was allegedly kidnapped and forced to withdraw money against his will.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police were called to Halifax, in High Street, after concerned members of staff raised the alarm.

They arrested two men in connection with the alleged kidnap of 26-year-old man from Waltham Forest.

The victim told police he was threatened by two men on Thursday *jan 28*, who held him overnight and forced him to enter the bank the next morning to withdraw money.

It is not believed the men got their hands on the cash.

A 22-year-old man, from Waltham Forest, and a 20-year-old man, from Grays, were arrested in connection with the incident.

Both men have been bailed pending further enquiries to return to police in late April.

A woman who works in an office nearby, who did not want to be named, witnessed the arrest as she left her workplace for lunch on Friday.

She said: “I popped out to go to my car at about noon.

“When I got outside there were police everywhere in the High Street around St Ediths Lane.

“The police had cut off access to St Ediths Lane and they were stopping people and cars going down there.

“There were quite a lot of people crowding around watching what was going on.

“Then I saw two men in handcuffs, they were being bent over a police car then the officers handcuffed them and put them in another police car.

“It was quite shocking really. I have never seen anything like that before in my life.”

A shop worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I think it’s really shocking and quite scary to be honest.

“It makes me feel a bit nervous about using the bank in public. I haven’t heard about this sort of thing before.”

Detectives from Waltham Forest CID are continuing to investigate the incident and enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances.

Halifax refused to comment on the incident.

Anyone with information can call the Metropolitan Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.