A DESPERATE mum screamed 'what have they done to my baby?' after thugs hurled acid in her three-year-old son's face as he sat in his pram.

Police are hunting three men after the toddler was left with serious burns when a substance was thrown at him inside Home Bargains in Worcester yesterday afternoon.

Witnesses to the horror scene described seeing a woman screaming for help as a "skinny white guy" fled the shop.

One shocked onlooker told the Daily Mail the mum was later seen with her head in her hands screaming: 'My baby, my baby, what have they done to my baby?'

The child was rushed to hospital with serious burns but has since been discharged. Police said the long-term effect of the toddler's injuries are not yet known.

A 39-year-old man from Wolverhampton has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and remains in police custody.

Chief Superintendent Mark Travis, from West Mercia Police, said: "The child has now been released from hospital. He is back home with his family.

"He has burns to his face and arms. We are uncertain about the long-term implications of those burns."

The incident occurred at around 2.15pm in Home Bargains at the Shrub Hill Retail Park in Worcester.

Although a racial motive has not been ruled out, detectives have said the attack is not believed to be linked to an English Defence League march which took place nearby.

A worker at a nearby hardware store said: "It's just disgusting. They told me he was covered in some kind of spray."

The busy retail park was filled with families and children as they enjoy the start of their summer holidays at the time of the attack.

Donna Bird, who runs a city centre pub, said: "It's sickening to think that someone would do this, let alone to a three-year-old defenceless child. Nowhere is safe anymore.

"To think that this happened when you're going shopping or just going out about your normal day. I hope he makes a full recovery, must be heartbreaking for his parents."

Eye-witness Rachel Bryant, 22, 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."

Police officers were seen scouring bins and looking under cars today as they searched for the container which was used in the acid attack.

Shocked shoppers have described seeing police cars and ambulances dashing to the shop where the three-year-old boy was attacked.

Another shopper, who did not want to be named, said: "I heard from someone who works at the shop that the man [who attacked the boy] was a skinny white guy.

"He was about 5ft 11ins and he ran out the shop."

Dean Carey, 22, assistant manager at the store, said: "Events happened yesterday, police knew what happened and we are working with them.

"Everything is fine, everything is nice and safe for everyone, the staff are all fine. The incident happened but now we have moved on."

Worcester MP Robin Walker said: "The shock will be universal. Anyone conducting such an attack on a small child is just appalling.

"It's an issue which rightly there has been a lot of concern in Parliament and a move to toughen sentences for any kind of acid attack.

"But particularly the nature of this being a small child is very concerning indeed.

"At this stage the key thing is for the police to act quickly and see if they can track down the perpetrator and understand what's behind it, because it is an unthinkable thing to happen."

Worcester City Council leader Marc Bayliss branded the attack "absolutely pure evil".

He said: "I have never heard of an acid attack in Worcester so this is absolutely not something we have any experience of.

Anyone with information should call 999 quoting incident 442s of 21 July 2018. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.