Essex boasts a curious and haunting graveyard - consisting of a host of near Southend . Hidden behind the Skylark Hotel near Southend Airport on Aviation Way lies a secret patch strewn with aircraft and overgrown weeds.

These planes, some potentially harking back over half a century, sit silently decaying. thoroughfares is restricted; however, intrepid urban explorers have managed to record rare glimpses of this reclusive spot. A duo of sizable jets are distinguishable on Google Maps' satellite imagery, though nature strives to shroud their presence.

Not just these once-soaring behemoths find - visitors previously stumbled across discarded televisions and furniture entangled within the greenery.

Local enthusiast Paul Edwards, after spotting the neglected planes via Google Earth, was inspired to visit these colossal relics with his partner. Sharing his experience, Edwards recounted: "We tried to get in every way possible, we tried through a church and a dentist but there were so many cameras. We didn't want to get caught and we would have been seen straight away."

Paul, an urban explorer from Rochford, was intrigued by the abandoned planes near a hotel but didn't want to take any chances with trespassing.

He said: "It wasn't worth the risk and its nice to get permission because otherwise we would be trespassing. We eventually just went into the hotel and asked to see the planes."

He recounts how hotel staff gave him the go-ahead, cautioning him only to maintain a distance. "It was so surreal," he expressed his astonishment.

Detailing the access restrictions, Paul describes: "At the end of the car park there were two gates which were padlocked shut, and to the left there was a gap you could squeeze through or on the right there was another [locked] gate.

"I wanted to look inside but we kept our distance. It was surreal to see all the growth around them, they had clearly been there for quite some time."

Online speculation about the derelict aircraft on the Fighter Control forum hints at their origins. One theory proposed is the larger aircraft are ex-RAAF Hawker Siddeley HS 748s - medium-sized, British-manufactured planes.

The reason for the planes' presence remains a mystery. They appear visually intact, despite rust and graffiti, not resembling the aftermath of a crash.

Access to the planes is restricted by locked gates and fencing, prohibiting a close-up view. Nonetheless, you can catch sight of one of the more prominent planes from afar in the hotel's car park.

It's crucial to seek the landowner's consent before entering any private premises. Trespassing on someone's property without permission could lead to legal complications and potential charges.