VIDEO footage could hold the key in the hunt for a man who sprayed a dangerous chemical in the face of an innocent clubber, say police.

Christopher Armstrong, 26, was sprayed in the left eye with an ammonia-type substance on the dance floor at Trades nightclub, Consett.

Doctors fear the courier driver, from Silksworth, Sunderland, could lose the sight in the affected eye. as a result of the incident early on Sunday, October 13.

Detectives from Consett CID spent last week trawling through tapes from the club's CCTV system and on Friday, issued a description of a man they believe could have been responsible for the attack.

The man left the dance floor and the club shortly after 1.45am - just after Mr Armstrong was attacked - and police are keen to interview him.

He is described as being in his late teens or early 20s, between 5ft 8in and 5ft 10in tall, with very short ginger hair. He was wearing a long-sleeved white top.

Mr Armstrong is still receiving regular treatment from specialists at Sunderland Eye Infirmary, in an attempt to save his eye.

Mr Armstrong and his friends regularly make the journey from Silksworth to Consett for a night out and have been to Trades before.

They had not been involved in any argument or dispute prior to the attack and have told police that the only offence they could have caused was if they bumped someone by accident while they were dancing.

The victim's father, postal worker George Armstrong, said: "Anyone who is prepared to go around spraying chemicals in someone's face that could disfigure or kill them, doesn't deserve to be in society."

The officer leading the investigation, Detective Constable Paul Walmsley, said: "This is a very serious offence, which has left a young man potentially blinded in one eye.

"Apart from the physical harm caused, the injury obviously affects Christopher's ability to carry on driving."

DC Walmsley said he had been disappointed by the poor response to an earlier appeal for witnesses.

"At that time, the club would have been very busy and the dance floor crowded.

"There must be other clubbers who were in Trades last weekend and saw what happened."

Anyone with information should contact Consett CID on (01207) 504204.