A "COWARDLY" gang of thugs blinded a teenager with acid before stealing his car.

Bradley Robinson, of Epping Green, had just finished filling his car up with petrol at the Esso Garage when a white Mercedes pulled up and a man inside asked him for a lighter.

The man then sprayed him with a “strong alkali” and jumped into the 19-year-old’s white Audi S3 and drove off.

The 19-year-old’s friend, who was sat in the passenger seat, managed to leap out of the moving car before it stopped and another man jumped in.

Bradley, a trainee in his family’s pump business, said: “It all happened so fast. He walked up to me and sprayed something down my face.

“My face went numb, but I was more in shock. There was a lot of pain.”

His friend managed to escape unharmed and Bradley was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.

Bradley has been almost blind for the last two weeks and has only started to regain some sight in one eye over this weekend.

Although he is expected to make a full recovery within the next month, he now has to take eye drops every hour and is currently is off work.

The attack, which happened at 12.10am on February 4, happened just two weeks before former boxer, Michael Watson, was sprayed in the face with a similar substance.

His carer, Lennard Ballack, was driving through The Ridgeway, Chingford, when the incident happened last Thursday evening.

The duo were sprayed with a “noxious substance” and Mr Ballack and the culprits also attempted to steal their car.

Bradley, who has been driving since June 2014, has no idea where his car is or if he will ever get behind the wheel of a car.

He added: “I will definitely be more wary now, but hopefully it won’t happen again. I’m not a wimpy character.

“I can’t go outside. There’s no more pain but when the light hits, I can’t physically open them. Over the last two weeks they have got better, but they are nowhere complete yet.”

.Greg Robinson, Bradley’s father, said: “We are very disturbed. My son’s eyes are really uncomfortable. We’re told it was a very strong alkali.

“The cowards who throw chemicals into anybody’s eyes without thought for the repercussions are despicable. They have no idea of the terror they caused.

“The police are working hard but information is slow. There must be people who know who these animals are.”

Essex police were called to the scene at 12:40am. They ask anyone with information that could help to call Loughton CID on 101.