Witnesses told of their terror as a man screamed “my face is melting off” after acid was thrown over him.

The man, named locally as 22-year-old Jack Grimshaw, was targeted outside his home in Lyon Close, Crawley, at 7.10pm on Tuesday.

It is believed a gang which fled in a car could have lain in wait for Mr Grimshaw before he returned home.

Police yesterday continued to hunt for two men wearing high-visibility jackets who poured the substance over Mr Grimshaw before they fled in a Vauxhall Astra Van along nearby Harper Drive.

Yesterday afternoon Mr Grimshaw, who friends said had attended Hazelwick School in Crawley and was described as being a talented youth footballer, was discharged from the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.

One neighbour told how her flatmate saw the man on the floor and called 999 when she heard his screams.

The 20-year-old, who asked not to be named, continued: “She said he was screaming, ‘my face is melting off’.

“I think the acid was on his face and hands.”

Yasar Koksar, 46, who lives in Lyon Court, had just returned home when the incident happened.

He said: “There were lots of police and a man was being treated by paramedics in an ambulance. I can’t believe it.”

Sarah Giles, 24, was at home in Lyon Court with her children. She said: “I heard a lot of screaming.”

Sussex Police confirmed the incident was being treated as an acid attack.

A spokesman said: “He attacked by two men and had the chemical poured over his face and hands.”

Detective Sergeant Dave Morton added: “We are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the incident or who may have seen two black men wearing hi-viz tops in a white Vauxhall Astra van in the area before or after the attack.

“The motive for this attack is still being investigated but we are confident it was targeted and can reassure the public that it was not random.”

Call police on 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting Operation Orlop.