DETECTIVES have today made a direct appeal for friends and acquaintances of two brothers they are hunting in connection with an acid attack in Southampton to hand the pair in.

Billy Nathan Midmore, 22, and Geoffrey Christopher Midmore are wanted in connection with an incident where acid was thrown in a 37-year-old woman’s face in Guildhall Square in the city centre near Turtle Bay restaurant.

The pair from London are described as “dangerous individuals” and considered a risk to the public .

They both have contacts in Southampton as well as Basingstoke and the South East.

Now detectives have appealed to family, friends and anyone who knows them to contact them immediately and provide any information that can hand them in.

It comes less than 24 hours after the force demanded the brothers turn themselves in and warned the net is closing around them.

As previously reported, liquid was thrown into the woman’s face when she was walking near the Turtle Bay restaurant at 9pm on September 18.

She suffered significant burns to her face, neck and arms, including severe eye injuries which may lead to her losing her sight.

She was walking near the restaurant with another man but neither had gone into the restaurant that night. It has emerged the victim had previously feared for her safety and detectives have launched an investigation into whether she previously reported being targeted before.

Acting Detective Inspector Will Whale, said: "Billy and Geoffrey are well known in Southampton. I'd like to appeal to anyone who socialises with them - come and tell us where they are. Just think, what if this was your sister, what if was your mum or a member of your family. If you knew something, would you stay quiet?"

“We are working with neighbouring police forces to gather information and hunt for these two men, and specialist officers from Hampshire and other forces are engaged in activity.

He added: “We would like to thank the community for all of the information they have come forward with so far. We are currently following a number of lines of enquiry and want people to carry on contacting us if they think they know where Billy and Geoffrey are.”

Billy is described as white, 5ft 8ins, with blue eyes and a scar on his left arm. He speaks with a London accent and is of stocky build.

Geoffrey is white, 5ft 1ins tall, with green eyes and has a scar on the right side of his face. He is of stocky build and has a tattoo on his hand.

Anyone with information can call Hampshire Constabulary immediately on 101 quoting Operation Interstate.