Man injured in Crawley acid attack Published duration 9 April 2014

image caption Police are appealing to witnesses to come forward

A man has had acid poured over his face and hands in an attack by two men in West Sussex.

The man, in his early 20s, was attacked in Lyon Close, Crawley, just before 19:10 BST on Tuesday.

The attackers, described as black and wearing high-visibility tops, drove off in a white Vauxhall Astra van.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "We are confident [the attack] was targeted and can reassure the public that it was not random."

The victim was treated at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and later discharged.

Witness Duncan Crow said he saw a "chubby" man in a yellow high-visibility top running down the road.

"At the same time, a small white Astra van came round the corner and picked him up at speed," he said.

"And then unfortunately I saw the victim lying on the ground and people coming to attend to him.

"It soon became apparent that this was quite a significant and very disturbing event."

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.