A man forced his way into a home and sprayed a substance into the faces of two women before stealing more than £1,000 in cash.

The man entered the property in Bounderby Grove, Chelmsford at around 9.30pm on Friday August 10.

He forced his way into the house and attacked two women inside the property, spraying an unknown substance in their eyes.

He searched the property and found a four-figure sum of cash.

The man left the address and quickly got away on foot.

Thankfully, the substance was not a serious acid.

The women suffered irritation to their eyes and skin, but they did not suffer any last injuries.

Essex Police have launched an investigation into the robbery which took place on Friday night.

A description has been released of the suspect by officers.

He was described as white, aged around 35 to 45 and 5ft 9ins to 5ft 10ins tall.

He was slim, and had short black hair and brown eyes.

He wore a black winter jacket, black trousers and a black baseball cap.

Officers searched the area surrounding Bounderby Grove, however they were unable to find the suspect on the night.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "Enquiries are ongoing to locate him.

"We want to speak to anyone who saw a man matching his description in the area around the time of the robbery."

Police ask any residents with information about the robbery to contact Chelmsford CID quoting reference 42/115447/18.

Alternatively, you can the Crimestoppers charity 100 per cent anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org