A DAD-OF-THREE feared he would not be able to see his children grow up after a thug threw a sandwich bag filled with acid at his face.

Self-employed builder Adam Pritchard, from Lymm, was working at a house on Grammar School Road when he was attacked by a 'cowardly' stranger who is still at large.

The courageous 38-year-old has shared his heart-breaking story almost one year on from the harrowing attack as the culprit has yet to be traced.

"They set out on that day to take everything away from me," said Adam who has been supported by his loving fiancée Kerrie Deavall as he faced a long road to recovery.

"They threw it at my face and they threw it at my eyes.

"They tried to take my ability to work and my ability to see my children grow up."

Adam, who is a proud dad to three daughters Brionie, 15, Katie, 13 and Megan, 11, was building an orangery at a customer's home in Lymm on August 4 when he heard a noise coming from the back of the property.

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When he went to investigate he saw a man looking through the window, claiming he was looking for scrap metal. A second man was round the front of the property.

The 38-year-old challenged both men, who quickly became verbally aggressive.

He said: “The little one said ‘I’ll come back here and stab you’ – I just thought it was an empty threat. I didn’t expect him to come back.”

Warrington Guardian:

PICTURED: Adam Pritchard

Days later on August 7 at around 9.20am, Adam was unloading his van when one of the men returned and attacked him with a sandwich bag filled with a corrosive substance. 

“It was like a horror film when you don’t hear anything then suddenly someone is stood in front of you,” he said.

“I could see him lifting his arm and I thought he had a brick or a knife. I was waiting for the impact but it just felt like a water bomb.

“That’s when I saw the floor was fizzing, my arms were stinging and I started to shake.”

Adam quickly ran to a wheelbarrow filled with water and immediately started to wash his face.

His quick-thinking saved his face from any major damage but his arms and legs were severely burned. 

Psychologically, it has also been an emotional and difficult journey to recovery after he was rushed to hospital for treatment.

Ten months on, Adam, who is unable to use one of his hands, struggles to do the job he loves due to life-changing ligament damage.

But the brave dad has refused to be beaten and, with the support of his family, he is determined to make the most of every day – despite the agonising pain he endures on a daily basis. 

“They tried to stop me from enjoying my life to the way I have been blessed to live,” he said.

“Not only did they fail but they have made me realise and appreciate that the only things in life that matter are the people who love you who will never let you fail.”

Adam’s attack is the only incident of its kind in Warrington in the past year.

As investigations are still ongoing to trace the culprit, Insp Hannah Friend, from Cheshire Police, has issued a public plea for help on BBC’s Crimewatch Roadshow Live. 

She said: “It’s hard to understand what motivates people to carry out these types of attacks – fortunately they are very rare in Cheshire. But it’s clear they have a huge impact on the victim. 

“The offender has pre-planned this attack from a few days before when the argument first took place. It is cowardly and vengeful.”

Adam’s story will be shared as part of a BBC One series broadcast from Staffordshire Police headquarters today, Thursday.

Anyone with information about the acid attack is urged to call Cheshire Police, quoting incident number 231 on August 7, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.