Detectives are hunting for two men who pulled an Ilford taxi driver from his car before beating him up and robbing his takings.

The attack happened at about 1.50am on Saturday as the driver dropped off the two men outside the Maypole pub, Lambourne Road, Chigwell.

As they arrived outside the pub, one man started an argument while the other dragged the victim from the driver’s seat before laying into him.

Det Con Katherine Clarke, of Essex Police, said: “This was an extremely nasty attack by two men who punched the driver in the face and head several times then kicked him in the head when he fell to the ground.

“We want to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and saw the attack which happened near the pub car park entrance.”

Both attackers were black or of mixed race and aged in their late teens.

One was about 5ft 5in tall and had distinctive tightly curled hair and was wearing a dark coloured jumper over a dark coloured T-shirt and dark coloured jeans.

The second was wearing a dark coloured zip-up jacket, grey T-shirt and a dark beanie hat. He had silver and diamond crystal studs in both ears.

Anyone with information should contact Loughton CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.