‘Horrific’ acid attack on toddler sitting in a pushchair

A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy has been discharged from hospital after he suffered serious burns in a deliberate acid attack.

The toddler was in a pushchair with his family in a Worcester shop when a corrosive substance was “thrown or sprayed” over him, according to West Mercia Police.

He was treated in hospital for burns to his face and one arm before being released yesterday afternoon.

Chief Superintendent Mark Travis said the boy was recovering at home with his family, who are being supported by specialist officers.

He told Sky News: “A young family were out shopping and a substance appears to either have been thrown or sprayed towards a three-year-old child who was in a pushchair.”

He added: “We are uncertain about the long-term implications of those burns, but we do hope that these won’t be life-changing injuries.”

Chief Supt Travis renewed the appeal for information about three men seen in images released by police.

“We are really, really keen that the images we have released will hopefully bring forward information about people who maybe able to help us, who were in the store at the time of the incident.

“If those people can come forward, or people could identify those people, it will help us understand the motivation for this.”

He said the men were in the shop at the time of the attack and were “in very close proximity to the little boy”.

They left the store in the direction of the city centre and he urged anyone who has seen “anything discarded in the area” to come forward.

A 39-year-old man from Wolverhampton has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and remains in police custody.

Worcester City Council leader Marc Bayliss described the attack as “absolutely pure evil”.

He added: “I have never heard of an acid attack in Worcester so this is absolutely not something we have any experience of.”

Worcester MP Robin Walker said the attack was “horrific”.