A father, mother and their two-year-old son have suffered burns following an acid attack in north London.



Police are appealing for witnesses following the assault on the family in Islington at about 1pm on Saturday that left the father with “life-changing” injuries, police said.

The trio were found with injuries after a strong acid was thrown on them, the London fire brigade said.



The father was named on the neighbouring Barnsbury estate as Hai. He is a longtime resident of the area and a father of two, with a child aged about 11 as well as a toddler. His brother was believed to live on the estate and he lived nearby with his mother, neighbours said.

One woman, who said she had known him for 20 years, said she believed he had been deliberately targeted. Another neighbour reported seeing someone run away in the immediate aftermath.

Murat Kayran, a local shopkeeper, told reporters that people had rushed in to buy water to help treat the chemical burns.

“They were a Chinese family. A woman frantically ran in here when it happened and said: ‘There’s been an acid attack’,” he said.

“She bought one bottle at first and then after that bought three more [1.5-litre] bottles of water. Then a gentleman came in and bought another three ... It’s such a scary thing to happen.”

At the scene of the attack, grit was spread on the pavement where the emergency services had cleared up the chemicals.

Police were called by the London ambulance service to reports of the attack on Copenhagen Street, near Charlotte Terrace.



A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “The victims – a 40-year-old father, a 36-year-old mother and their two-year-old boy – were found with injuries consistent with a noxious substance, believed to be an acid, being thrown at them.



“They were initially taken to a north London hospital and were subsequently transferred to another hospital.

“The man’s injuries, whilst not believed to be life-threatening, are being treated as life-changing. The woman and child suffered minor injuries but remain in hospital at this time.”

The fire brigade said the adults suffered 15% burns to their hands and bodies while the infant was burnt on his face.



The liquid had a pH reading of one and tests confirmed it was a strong acid and oxidising substance, a spokesman said.

Anyone with information should contact the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.