Two teenage girls who made international headlines as the victims of a horrific acid attack in Zanzibar are flying home today.

Katie Gee, of East Finchley, and Kirstie Trup, of Hampstead Garden Suburb, were targeted by men on mopeds in the Stone Town area of the African island on Wednesday evening.

Acid was thrown on to their faces, chests and hands causing what Kirstie’s father described to one newspaper as “horrific” burns.

The pair, both 18, were in the final days of a three-week volunteer project working as teachers at a Christian nursery school for Tanzanian charity Art when they were attacked.

Five men have been arrested in connection with the attack and a £4,000 reward has reportedly been offered by the Zanzibar police for information.

No clear motive for the attack has yet been established.

Witnesses described hearing piercing screams from the two girls, who were walking to a restaurant in the town.

Passers-by rushed to their aid and they were washed down in a nearby restaurant toilet. They were later flown to mainland Tanzania for treatment.

The girls are understood to be arriving home today after leaving Tanzania overnight.

A representative from travel company i-to-i said: “The safety of our customers is of paramount importance to us and our own investigation will be launched as soon as it is possible to do so.

“At this time we continue to liaise with the local authorities in their investigations as well as with the British Consulate in Tanzania.

“The thoughts and deepest sympathies of the whole team here at i-to-i travel is with our customers and their families.”