Witnesses have recalled the moment they heard a woman "screaming in agony" after having acid thrown in her face, writes Emily Ford.

Southampton Crown Court has heard how Carla Whitlock was found collapsed on the floor outside of Turtle Bay with blisters all over her face, severely red eyes and holes in her jeans from the acid.

Jurors were told by witnesses in the trial of Billy Midmore, 22, of Old Malden, who were visiting Turtle Bay in Guildhall Square on the night of September 18, that Carla had buckets of water poured over her face as staff and members of the public desperately tried to help.

Dr Micaela Barradas was walking towards the restaurant with two friends when she told the court she heard a woman screaming and spotted a group of "two or more" men running from the scene.

Dr Barradas said: "We saw the lady fall, she collapsed to the floor clutching her face.

"That's when I approached and offered my help. She was on her own, she had a clear fluid over her eyes and the liquid looked corrosive.

"There was lots of redness and blistering, it was dripping onto her black jeans and turning it white.

"My instinct was to not touch it and not let anyone else.

"She was very distressed."

The court also heard from Gemma Higgins who had been sitting outside Turtle Bay with two friends.

Miss Higgins told the court she had seen a group of at least five men walking towards the square and a male and female later identified as Ms Whitlock and her partner Matthew Wedgner walking towards them.

She said that she saw a male from the group push Mr Wedgner and then heard the woman shout "leave us alone."

Miss Higgins told the court: "I saw liquid fly up in the air and land on the floor and heard the woman screaming in agony and shouting 'someone help me' before she came running up to our table asking for help."