Marine police are trawling the River Thames as they believe "acid attack” suspect Abdul Ezedi may be in the water.

The last confirmed sighting of Ezedi was crossing over Chelsea Bridge shortly before 11.30pm on January 31, the night of the acid attack in Clapham which left a mother and her two children badly injured.

The Metropolitan Police said Ezedi might also have been injured in the attack and be in "an extraordinary amount of pain".

They said its marine policing unit will be carrying out boat searches at low tide over the coming days.

Officers have combed CCTV footage which shows Ezedi disappearing from view.

The Met's specialist team have spent the last 24 hours obtaining more footage of the area, including from passing buses, to try and establish what has happened.

Commander Jon Savell said: “Our enquiries continue but we have been very closely following all the available evidence for the past week and indications are now that Ezedi entered the water.

“We have tracked him since the moment the attack happened walking for four hours through London, in the main hugging the river.

“He is a man who had just carried out the most horrific attack, and was suffering from significant injuries himself which must have been causing him an extraordinary amount of pain.

“It is just over four miles from Tower Hill, where he was seen leaving the tube station, to Chelsea Bridge.

"He walks purposefully. Halfway across Chelsea Bridge he pauses and paces back and forth towards the railings, as well as looking over them, this is a change in behaviour. Then he is lost from sight."

He said the Met has been closely liaising with experts through the National Crime Agency who have also considered this latest information.

"At that time of night, at this time of year, and entering the water from the middle of a bridge at height, the chances of Ezedi surviving are extremely remote.

"The Thames current is very strong which is an additional factor.

“Our Marine Policing Unit will be carrying out boat searches at low tide in the area over the coming days. We have not recovered a body at this stage."

Ezedi’s family has been updated with these latest developments and they are being supported by a specialist family liaison officer.

"Notwithstanding the horrific crime Ezedi committed, his family undoubtedly will be struggling to come to terms with the events of the last week and this latest development," Commander Savell added.

“We still have some enquiries to complete. But having looked at all the possible camera angles, we are as satisfied as we can be at this stage about what has happened to Ezedi.

”Our team of detectives will continue with a range of other enquiries to be as certain as we can about the exact events of that night.”

Around 500 people across the county have called police with information about Ezedi and his possible whereabouts since the incident happened.

Commander Savell added: “We remain immensely grateful to all those who called - the public support for our investigation has been tremendous and I want to thank all those who helped.

“Our thoughts are also with the 31-year-old woman who remains in a critical but stable condition sedated in hospital on her long road to recovery.”