London (CNN) There was a record number of acid attacks in London in 2017, police data shows, as perpetrators turn to household cleaning products as weapons.

In response to a freedom of information request by CNN, data from the London Metropolitan Police showed a sharp rise in attacks, with 465 recorded in 2017, up from 395 the previous year and 255 in 2015. The attacks increased six-fold over six years.

London has become the world capital for acid attacks on young men, and street gangs are increasingly using "face melters" against their targets.

Several cases that left victims with life-changing injuries last year prompted debate in the UK Parliament, where MPs are mulling banning the sale of highly corrosive liquids to minors and overhauling laws around possession of acid. Police say easy-to-obtain products such as drain and oven cleaners are often used in attacks.

UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd earlier called for a life sentence for serious acid attacks, arguing that such assaults often ruin victims' lives.

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