Woman and two children in hospital after ‘corrosive substance attack’

A woman and her two young children have been taken to hospital after a man threw a suspected corrosive substance at them in south London.

Police responded to the incident in Lessar Avenue near Clapham Common at around 7.25pm on Wednesday.

Three other members of the public were also taken to hospital after the incident.

Their injuries are thought to have been suffered as they came to the aid of the woman and her children.

One witness told the BBC the mother cried “I can’t see, I can’t see” as he tried to help.

The Metropolitan Police said three officers who responded to the incident were also injured.

Detective Superintendent Alexander Castle said the officers’ injuries were “minor”.

“While tests are ongoing to determine what the substance is, at this stage we believe it to be a corrosive substance,” he said.

“A man was seen fleeing the scene. We are drawing on resources from across the Met to apprehend this individual and work is ongoing to determine what has led to this awful incident.”

No arrest has been made and police said they will give an update on the conditions of the injured people as soon as they can.

Marina Ahmad, Labour’s London Assembly member for Lambeth & Southwark, posted on X: “There has been a traffic collision with a man assaulting occupants in a car and throwing acid. Victims include children.”