Leading doctors have issued key advice to the public on how to deal with acid attacks following a spate of horrific injuries.

Bystanders should be taught that removing any contaminated clothes is essential in minimising the harm to the victim in such attacks - which are now widespread across Britain, mainly in London.

The affected area should then be irrigated with copious amounts of water to flush out the corrosive substance, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said.

A surge of horrific injuries have been reported this year, with figures showing more than 400 attacks carried out in just six months.

The 'latest menace on our streets', which is replacing the use of guns and knives, is leaving victims blind or severely disfigured.

The calls come after the case of an aspiring model who's now too scared to leave her house because of her horrific face and neck injuries.

Resham Khan, 21, was injured celebrating her birthday in Beckton last month after a thug threw a corrosive substance through an open car window.

The calls come after the case of an aspiring model that's now too scared to leave her house because of her horrific face and neck injuries. Resham Khan, 21, was injured celebrating her birthday last month after a thug threw a corrosive substance through an open car window

The RCEM's president, Dr Taj Hassan, was behind an editorial written in the British Medical Journal calling for an end to such attacks.

Many victims are often left in mental distress for the rest of their lives, and are at risk of going blind and being severely disfigured.

Johann Grundlingh, consultant emergency physician at Barts Health NHS Trust in London, said corrosive substances were easy to conceal.

The search for ways to deal with corrosive substances

He added: 'The number of high-profile acid attacks has been increasing in recent years, especially in London.

'The attacks, involving a range of corrosive substances, have brought into sharp focus the need for clinicians, law enforcement officers, and our lawmakers to find ways to deal with this latest menace on our streets.

'Already 2017 has seen a big increase in acid attacks in the UK, relative to 2016. Whereas in the past most of the attacks were related to robberies, corrosive substances now seem to be a replacement for carrying knives.

'Public education is needed on how to deal with these injuries, as immediate treatment can substantially improve the outcome.'

The public play an important role

Dr Grundlingh said: 'Bystanders who come to the aid of the victim of an attack can have an important role in minimising further injury.

RECENT HIGH-PROFILE ACID ATTACKS Jabed Hussain, an UberEats driver, a Deliveroo driver, and four other moped drivers were left injured after they had a corrosive liquid sprayed directly into their faces as they waited at traffic lights in East and North London in a 72-minute rampage earlier this month. A 16-year-old boy has been accused of 13 separate offences in connection with the alleged spree on July 13. He denies the charges. Last month Resham Khan, 21, and 37-year-old Jameel Muhktar were inside a car in Beckton, east London, when a man threw a corrosive substance through the window. The pair were left with life-changing injuries. Mr Muhktar said he feels 'like somebody's ironing me 24/7' and is in 'continuous pain'. Another high-profile incident saw 20 people injured by acid spray in a London nightclub in March. Arthur Collins, ex-boyfriend of The Only Way Is Essex star Ferne McCann, was charged with that attack. Advertisement

'The victim should be removed from ongoing exposure as soon as possible.

'Irrigation of the affected area with copious amounts of water is vital to remove the chemical and should be performed as soon as possible to minimise the long-term effects of scarring and need for surgical reconstruction.'

Soaring cases

Horrific acid attacks, which are most prevalent in east London, have soared in recent months, figures show.

Scotland Yard statistics reveal that they have nearly tripled, from 162 cases in 2012 to 454 recorded last year.

But this year has seen a surge in attacks, with more than 400 carried out in the six months leading up to April this year.

Why the rise in acid attacks?

There is no clear explanation behind the rise, but it coincides with a Government crackdown on carrying knives.

It is also believed criminal gang members are carrying acid in drinks bottles because they are less likely to get caught than if they carry a knife or gun.

Schoolchildren as young as 13 have also told how 'squirting' rivals with acid is easier than trying to stab or fight them.

No laws against the substance

Currently, there is no penalty for being caught in possession of high street-bought acid-based chemicals as opposed to a knife or a gun.

Although with the surge in recent cases, the Government is said to be considering changing its stance.

The issue first came to widespread public attention when model Katie Piper was attacked with sulphuric acid by her ex-boyfriend Daniel Lynch in 2008.

Ms Piper has since led campaigns to raise awareness of the problem, founding her own charity to help people living with burns and scars.