A SECURITY guard told of his horror as two robbers sprayed a mystery liquid in his face.

Philip Grice, 52, was walking along Canvey Road, Canvey, at the end of his shift when he was approached by a pair who asked him for directions.

They sprayed a liquid in his face as he stopped outside Camping and General at about 10pm.

His eyes suddenly started burning.

Mr Grice, who works at Co-op, in Linden Way, said: “It stung like mad.

“While I was trying to stop one of the men, the other one took my work bag and jacket and they both ran off.”

There was nothing of value in either.

Mr Grice, from Rochford, believes the robbers hoped his bag contained tools and his mobile phone - which was in his pocket.

He immediately dialled 999.

He added: “I kept calm and phoned the police and within two or three minutes the police and paramedics had arrived.

“The paramedics washed the stuff off my face and out of my eyes.

“There was no odour to it and I don’t know what it was.

“It was still stinging the next day and my arm stung from where I had put it up to protect myself .

“I was very pleased to see the police when they came and impressed they were there so quick.”

Mr Grice did not sustain any lasting injuries.

He said: “Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.

“You do hear about all the problems on the island, but you don’t expect it to happen to you.

“I was very lucky it wasn’t acid that was thrown as that would have been a lot worse.”

He is urging any witnesses who drove past the scene at the time of the attack to get in touch with police.

One motorist stopped to check on Mr Grice, but drove off after hearing he was already on the phone to the emergency services.

An ambulance service spokesman said: “We received a call on Wednesday, September 7 just before 10.15pm to reports of an incident on Charfleets Road, Canvey.

“We sent a rapid response vehicle that was on scene in four minutes to treat a man, believed to be in his 50s, for minor facial injuries.

“After receiving treatment at the scene, the man was discharged as he did not require any hospital treatment.”

An Essex Police spokesman sad: “Police are investigating after a man was assaulted and robbed on the Charfleets Industrial Estate on Canvey.

“It happened shortly before 10.15pm on Wednesday, September 7.

“The victim was standing outside his blue Ford Fiesta when two men approached him.

“He was sprayed in the face with an unknown substance and had his rucksack and jacket stolen.

“He received medical treatment at the scene but did not go to hospital.”

Call 101 with information.