Man arrested after substance thrown at people

Sophy Zakharchenko believes burns on her face were caused by the substance thrown at her in the street

A 19-year-old man has been arrested by police investigating a series of attacks in which liquids were thrown at passers-by.

Northamptonshire Police says the incidents happened on Monday in Wellingborough.

There have been a number of reports of substances being thrown from cars in the area in recent weeks.

One woman believes her face was burnt when a liquid was aimed at her.

Two of those affected have been describing their experiences.

Sophy Zakharchenko, who lives in Wellingborough, said: "It was 10pm and I had just got off the bus.

"As I was walking home along Church Street, a car slowed down next to me and squirted an unknown substance in my face.

"I was really shocked and thought I had been acid attacked. It went in my eye, my face and my clothing."

She told the BBC she checked her clothes when she got home and they smelt of urine.

She said: "I got straight into the shower and washed my eye and face and body. An hour or so later my face started to burn, and now I woke up to actual burns on my face."

Sophy Zakharchenko says she was shocked by the attack and thought she had been hit by acid

Melissa Clare was walking home with her best friend at about the same time when "someone threw an unknown substance on to us both and drove off".

She added: "We are both OK, just some soreness around where it hit us as it went on both our faces - that’s all I can really remember as it happened so fast."

Northamptonshire Police said: "On 12 August at about 22:00 BST, an unknown substance, believed to be urine, was thrown from a car on to people in Church Street and Cambridge Street.

"Thankfully, no-one was seriously injured.

"A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with incidents on 12 August and remains in police custody."

Incidents on 12 August were recorded in Church Street in Wellingborough

People posting on social media have reported similar incidents in recent weeks, including one involving two sisters, their mother and a baby.

The sisters reported they were left with red itchy marks on their skin.

Another incident involved a father, his son and some elderly women.

The force added: "At this stage of our investigation, we believe that these incidents have been random and not targeted at any specific community."

It wants to hear from anyone who has suffered a similar attack.