'Help find the coward who threw acid in my face'

Adam Tickner says the mental scars will take a long time to heal

A man who had suspected acid thrown in his face after trying to break up a fight at a pub in Rochester has appealed directly to his "cowardly" attacker to turn themselves in to police.

Adam Tickner, an assistant headteacher and father of two, was enjoying a night out with his wife and friends at Ye Arrow pub in Boley Hill on Saturday night when he suffered burns to his face, eyes, mouth and throat from a suspicious substance.

"I don't go out to have fights, I don't go out to be violent with people," said Mr Tickner, adding: "I need the person that's done this to come forward."

Kent Police have appealed for anyone with information or footage to contact them.

Mr Tickner said he was enjoying "a catch-up with our friends" when they decided to go to listen to some live music at the pub, where they had "never had an issue" before.

Just as the music was starting, he said he stepped outside for some fresh air at the back of the pub, when a fight broke out.

"My friend got punched in the face. It was all a massive shock to all of us," he said.

"Then out of the corner of my eye, as my friends were moving away a bit, another person came into my sight, looking to aim at my friends, so I nudged one of my friends out of the way and I had acid thrown into my face.

"I can't tell you what went through my head, it was horrible. My face started burning, my mouth was swelling up, my throat getting really tight."

'Lucky to be here'

He told the BBC he then fell to the ground.

"I was trying to shout for help, but because my tongue was swollen, my lips were swollen, my words didn't come out, no one could hear what I was saying. I thought 'I'm done, I'm dead'," he said.

"I had all floods of my little boys' pictures going through my head, like I was never going to see them again.

"The burn was so much, I wouldn't put this pain on anybody. No one deserves to go through this pain."

Once at the hospital, he said the "message was clear to me from the doctor – that they were glad it had just hit my tongue because if it went down my throat I wouldn't be here today."

Four days on from the attack, reported by KentOnline, he said his body is slowly beginning to heal, but the effect on his mental health has been challenging.

"Physically I'll get over it - the burns on my face, my eye, my mouth, they will heal. But mentally this is going to be with me for a very long time."

Kent Police confirmed officers are investigating a reported assault with a corrosive substance in the garden area at Ye Arrow in Boley Hill at about 22:15 BST on Saturday.

"The victims, three men and a woman, were at the rear of the premises when two men they did not know approached them," said the force.

"It is alleged two of the victims were punched and the group had a corrosive substance thrown at them."