By Thomas Mackintosh, Ellie Price, Rajini Vaidyanathan & Emily AtkinsonBBC News31 January 2024Updated 3 hours agoImage caption, Police cordoned off an area on Lessar Avenue which is near to Clapham Common in south LondonWitnesses have described a “horrific” scene after a mother and her two girls were splashed with a “corrosive substance” in a car in south London. The family, three responding police officers, and two others who tried to help were taken to the hospital after the attack in Clapham on Wednesday. One witness told the BBC the mother shouted, “I can’t see, I can’t see,” as he attempted to assist. “It was quite horrific,” he added. Police are on the lookout for the perpetrator. The Metropolitan Police reported that emergency services were summoned to Lessar Avenue, near Clapham Common, at 19:25 GMT on Wednesday evening after reports of an attack with a suspected “corrosive substance.” Investigations were ongoing to identify the substance used, the force added. A white car was towed onto a van and removed from the street as the sun rose over Clapham Common. Earlier in the night, police forensic teams in protective gear examined the vehicle, which had come to a stop diagonally across the tree-lined street. A couple living on Lessar Avenue said they rushed into the street after hearing a cry for help and the sound of a car crashing. “We came outside and saw this guy and he took a girl out of the car and he slammed her to the ground twice,” a man, who did not want to disclose his name, said. “I chased him halfway down the road, but I was in slippers so didn’t get very far. “As I came back, that’s when I saw the woman who had been attacked … so I ran inside to get some water and just sprayed her down with water.” He described seeing severe burns to her face. The witness’s partner, who sustained less serious burns to her face, arm, and lips after tending to one of the children involved, was taken to the hospital but later released. Image caption, A man was seen fleeing the scene and a police helicopter was used on Wednesday night to search for him.She was one of eight individuals taken to the hospital – five to a major trauma center, and three to a local hospital. A ninth person was discharged at the scene, the London Ambulance Service said. The Met stated that three officers sustained what are believed to be minor injuries. The extent of the victims’ injuries has not been confirmed by police. Labour MP for Streatham Bell Ribeiro-Addy told BBC Radio London the incident was “a huge shock to those living around the area.” “We are asking people to come forward if they have any information,” she said. As the search for the attacker commenced, residents reported hearing the sound of helicopters throughout the night. The nature of the attack has left residents distressed. “How can people do this sort of thing?” one neighbor asked. London Fire Brigade verified that two crews from Clapham and Battersea fire stations attended the scene to assist in providing emergency care to the mother and two children. “Crews also used specialist equipment to detect a corrosive substance that is believed to have been used in the incident,” it said. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can’t see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age, and location with any submission.
