A man is in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being attacked with noxious substance in east London.

Police are searching for two men – William Deo, 20, and Gavin Okwu-Brewis, 29 – in connection with the incident in Ilford on Wednesday night.

During the attack, at about 10pm, a man in his 20s had a noxious substance thought to be ammonia thrown at him. He was taken to an east London hospital.

Police have told the public not to approach Deo and Okwu-Brewis, and said that anyone with information about their whereabouts should contact the police quoting reference 8771/13 June.

A suspected acid attack sent a west London high street into lockdown earlier in June, when police and firefighters rushed to help a woman in her 30s in Brentford.

Police said a man, 20, was arrested at the scene of the Brentford incident on suspicion of gross bodily harm. The woman was treated by paramedics for injuries that were not life-threatening or life-changing.