Acid attack victim: I felt like my face was on fire
Video report by ITV News Reporter Martha Fairlie
A delivery driver who was splashed with acid in a string of linked attacks has said it felt like his face was "on fire".
Two teenage moped thieves are believed to have carried out five acid attacks in London in a spree that lasted less than 90 minutes.
Two boys, aged 15 and 16, have been arrested after Thursday night's attacks, which left at least one victim with "life-changing" injuries.
The spree occurred across north and east London between 10.15pm and 11.37pm in Hackney, Islington, Shoreditch, Stoke Newington and Clapton.
The first victim, delivery driver Jabed Hussain, described the moment he was attacked telling ITV News it was like "extreme fire on his face".
He said: "I was really scared. I was screaming, begging for water.
"I was knocking on all the windows of the cars stopped for the traffic but no one opened them, probably because they were scared and didn't know what had happened."
Mr Hussain also said that the pair tried to attack him for a second time.
The married father-of-one managed to send a warning message to his fellow UberEATS drivers, who came to his aid bringing water.
Mr Hussain - who is being treated in an east London hospital - said he is now "too scared" to go back to work.
"I'm really scared. I don't know what to do. My wife, she's scared. My family's scared. They were asking me to leave that job, but I love that job."
Mr Hussain said authorities need to stop the perpetrators "as soon as possible", adding: "I'm really scared... my colleagues are asking me 'Are you going to come back to work?' I said I don't know yet."
He said the union the riders are part of is holding a demonstration at Parliament on Tuesday.
"If we see the Government taking action, and if it's back to normal, I am happy to go back to work," he said, clarifying that "normal" is referring to a time when there were fewer crimes involving mopeds.
Two of the assaults saw mopeds stolen, while another victim had "life-changing" injuries inflicted after being sprayed.
The Metropolitan Police said the attacks on Thursday night appeared to be linked and involved two victims having their mopeds stolen.
It also appeared that a sixth moped rider may have been attacked with acid on Friday night in Dagenham.
Police said that latest victim had been sprayed with an unknown "noxious substance" but had escaped major injury.
Timeline of attacks
The first attack saw 32-year-old delivery driver Jabed Hussain approached by the pair shortly before 10.15pm as he drove towards the Hackney Road junction with Queensbridge Road. The two male suspects tossed acid into his face before one of them jumped on to the victim's vehicle and drove away.
At around 10.50pm, another victim was sprayed with searing liquid by the pair at the Upper Street junction with Highbury Corner, Islington.
At around 11.05pm, the attackers tossed the substance into the face of a man in Shoreditch High Street.
Around 11.20pm, they appeared to have struck again, causing "life-changing" facial injuries on a man in Cazenove Road.
At 11.37pm, when another man was confronted as he sat on his moped in traffic in Chatsworth Road. After again spraying a liquid in a victim's face, the moped was stolen and both attackers fled.
At 5pm on Friday a man in his 20s was squirted with a "noxious substance" in an alleged attempted robbery.
Met commissioner reviewing laws after 'barbaric' attacks
There have been more than 1,800 acid attacks in the UK since 2010 - and they are on the rise.
Most occur in the capital - where there were 261 incidents in 2015. This has soared 74% to 454 in 2016.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said she is "very concerned" by the recent spate of "absolutely horrendous" and "barbaric" attacks.
She called on people to "challenge" those suspected of preparing an attack.
Police are working with the Home Office to see if a change in law is needed.
Anyone with information or footage of the recent London incidents should contact police on 101, tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
WHAT TO DO IN AN ACID ATTACK
Wear gloves or use a towel to remove the chemical causing the burn
Remove contaminated clothing or jewellery to prevent further burning
Rinse the burn immediately with a gentle, steady stream of cool tap water over the burn for 10 or more minutes - a shower can be used if available as can mild soap
Always protect your eyes while washing acid off skin
Loosely apply a dry bandage, gauze or clean cotton clothing
Seek emergency care if a person is showing signs of shock or fainting, if the chemical has burnt through the first layer of skin or if the burn goes all the way round a limb or involves the eyes, hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks or major joint such as the knee or elbow
For minor burns (not affecting the face) take an over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
For further medical advice call NHS 111