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The attackers on mopeds carried out five quick fire acid assaults in east London around Hackney and Shoreditch within just under an hour and a half last night.

A 16-year-old was arrested on suspicion of robbery and GBH shortly after the incident, the Met Police confirmed this morning.

Cops later arrested a 15-year-old boy, who is in custody being questioned on suspicion of the same charges.

One of the victims of the sickening assault has been left with what were described as "life changing injuries" and all four other victims are in hospital.

The Prime Minister has branded the attacks "horrific".

(Image: TWITTER)

The PM's spokeswoman told a press briefing: "We are working with the police to see what more we could do.

"The Prime Minister's view is that the use of acid in this way is horrific."

At 10.25pm on Thursday, police were called by the London Ambulance Service to Hackney Road junction with Queensbridge Road, to reports of a robbery.

A 32-year-old man suffered injuries to his face after two male moped riders threw a corrosive substance in his face and stole the moped he was riding.

The two suspects then made off from the scene, with one on the stolen moped.

The man was taken to an east London hospital, and his injuries are not being treated as life-threatening or life-changing.

A 44-year-old man riding a moped had a corrosive substance thrown in his face by two males also on a moped in St Paul's Road, Hackney, 24 minutes later.

The two suspects left the scene empty handed, and the victim was taken to hospital.

At 11.05pm a 52-year-old man had a corrosive substance thrown in his face by two males on a moped in Shoreditch High Street.

The victim was also riding a moped and taken to hospital but the suspects again got away empty handed.

At 11.18pm, in Cazenove Road, near the junction with Upper Clapton Road, a 24-year-old man was attacked in a similar way.

He was taken to an east London hospital where his injuries are described as "life-changing".

(Image: TWITTER/999London)

Nineteen minutes later, a 33-year-old man was on his moped in Chatsworth Road in traffic when two males on another moped pulled up alongside him and sprayed a liquid in his face.

They stole his moped and made off, while the victim made his way home before contacting police.

He was taken to an east London hospital and police said they are waiting for an update on his condition.

Witnesses described horrific scenes as the attacks took place.

One man, who lives in the block of flats overlooking the scene of the attack in Upper Clapton Road and did not want to be named, said: "I saw the road closed for a couple of hours. It looked really scary. I saw the aftermath. I saw the motorbike on the pavement."

"I saw the road closed for a couple of hours. It looked really scary.I saw the aftermath. I saw the motorbike on the pavement."

I saw the aftermath – I saw the motorbike on the pavement."

Eliezer Frischman, 28, who was on the street of one of the attacks, said: "I understood the victim was still on the scene."I think it was him. He looked okay. He was walking around. I think he was into

"I think it was him. He looked okay. He was walking around. I think he was into hospital.

"I just saw his motorbike and his coat next to it and his helmet."

Mr Frischman called on police to put a stop to acid crime, adding: "If they don't stop it now... You see last night, there was five attacks."

(Image: TWITTER/999LONDON)

This latest spate of attacks comes just weeks after a woman was left with life-changing injuries after a similar incident in London.

Resham Khan, 21, was celebrating her birthday with her cousin Jameel Mukhtar when they were attacked, they claim.

The pair were waiting at the traffic lights in a car in Newham, east London, when a man allegedly threw acid through both windows of the car.