A man seriously injured in a liquid chemical attack in Witham was not the intended target, police said today.
The 56-year-old victim had gone down to collect his post from the communal entrance to a block of flats in Bramble Road shortly before 10.45am today (August 8) when he encountered the two men banging on the door.
Following a brief exchange the two men threw the unknown liquid over the man, which was in a glass bottle, and ran off.
He has suffered injuries to his hands and face before being taken by ambulance to Broomfield Hospital for treatment.
The vicitm's injuries are not believed to be life threatening but are potentially life changing serious chemical burns.
Detective Inspector Leighton Hammett, of Braintree CID, said: "The information that we have currently gathered suggests that the victim was not the intended target of this attack. Unfortunately he appears to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"The two suspects are described as a white man and a black man and if anyone saw them, either in the area prior to this attack or afterwards, we would urgently like to speak to them."
Police are conducting investigations at the scene but a cordon initially put in place in the road has now been released.
Officers want to hear from anyone with information about the incident and are asking for those with information about the attack to call Essex Police at Braintree CID on 101 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
