Three men have been arrested following a suspected acid attack on a three-year-old boy in Worcester.
The men, aged 22, 25 and 26, have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm. They were arrested in London, police said today.
It comes after a boy was taken to hospital with serious burns to his arm and face following an incident inside a Home Bargains store.
One witness said: “There was a bit of shouting and screaming in the store but then it all went quiet.
“Then this woman ran outside and started screaming that her baby had been hurt and needed help.
“The mother was sitting outside the shop, screaming: ‘My baby, my baby, what have they done to my baby?’”
The emergency services were called to the Shrub Hill Retail Park shortly after 2pm on Saturday.
Ambulances and two fire engines, including a hazardous materials specialist, were at the scene within eight minutes.
The youngster was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was treated overnight before being discharged yesterday.
The boy has since been discharged from hospital but the long-term implications of his injuries are unknown at this time.
Rachel Bryant, 22, who was nearby when it happened, said: “I’d been shopping with my mum and were heading to Home Bargains when there were loads of police and ambulances.
“I saw a woman crying and being comforted by police. I didn’t know what it was all about.
“When I heard about the little boy being attacked with acid I couldn’t believe it. I assume the woman I saw could have been his mum or relative.
“It’s horrendous to think something like this could happen to a little boy in the middle of a shop on a Saturday afternoon.”
Detective Inspector Tony Garner said: “We’d like to thank everyone who shared our appeal over the weekend and contacted us with information; all of this is helping us to build up a better picture of this incident.
“We’re continuing to urge anyone else with information to contact us.”
Worcester City Council leader Marc Bayliss said the attack was “absolutely pure evil”.
He added: “Worcester is not that sort of place. We are a quintessential small English city.
“I have never heard of an acid attack in Worcester so this is absolutely not something we have any experience of.”
He urged anyone with information to come forward, and added: “Think if this was a member of your family, an innocent child, a three-year-old probably scarred or damaged for life by this.
“We need to bring the perpetrators to justice, and quickly.”
A 39-year-old man from Wolverhampton arrested yesterday on suspicion of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm remains in police custody.
The Home Bargains store, one of more than 400 across Britain, reopened shortly before midday yesterday.
A spokeswoman said: “Our thoughts are with this young child and his family.”
Anyone with information that could help police with their enquiries should call 101 quoting incident 442s of 21 July 2018. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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