A 20-year-old British man was set on fire in a terrifying homophobic attack.

The victim was confronted when he was walking through the grounds of Holy Trinity Church in Stockton, a town in the north-east of England yesterday at around 3am.

A group of four men confronted him and began questioning him about his sexual orientation, but he ignored them.

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: ‘One of the men then approached him from behind and sprayed an aerosol can at the victims legs which he then set alight, causing burns to the victim’s calves.’

The men then ran off leaving the victim seriously burned.

The main attacker who lit the aerosol was described as white, in his early 20s, of medium build and with short blonde hair. He was bare chested and wearing jogging bottoms.

The victim attended North Tees University Hospital where he received treatment, which required skin grafts.

The spokesperson added: ‘Officers are treating this as a homophobic hate crime and are asking anyone with information to come forward and call police on 101.’

Back in 2011, 28-year-old gay barman Stuart Walker was strangled, beaten, and burned alive before he died in Cumnock, Scotland. Ryan Esquierdo, who was 19 at the time of the arrest, pleaded guilty and went to jail for 12 years.