A businessman was fighting for his life today after he fell into a vat of hot acid at his furniture stripping company.

Frank Bland was working alone at his Jiffy Strip workshop in a cluster of industrial units in Railway Road, Idle, Bradford, when the accident occurred at about 7.45pm yesterday.

Mr Bland, who is in his early 50s, suffered horrendous burns and damage to his eyes after he was drenched from head to toe in caustic soda which was being heated in an 8ft by 3ft tank.

Writhing in agony, he managed to struggle out of the vat and screamed for help.

Peter Armstrong, whose home backs on to the industrial units, heard his cries and attempted to hose him down in the courtyard outside the workshop.

"I was in my garage and I heard shouting," said Mr Armstrong, a 66-year-old retired company director. "I thought it was yobs at first out for Hallowe'en.

"I opened the door to see what the noise was about and it was coming from Frank's unit. He was standing up by the door and steam was coming off him.

"I dragged him outside and started hosing him down while my wife called the emergency services."

Firefighters from Idle continued to hose down Mr Bland as paramedics treated him in the courtyard for about an hour before he was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Leading firefighter Terry Mortimer said: "He was sat there in shock and conscious but he was not coherent.

"He could not see at the time and may have lost his eye sight.

"We applied burn shield, which is like a jelly-pregnated fabric to cool the wounds and keep them sterile.

Firefighters praised Mr Armstrong for his quick-thinking action in trying to help Mr Bland.

Mr Armstrong said he was devastated by the accident.

"I have known Frank for about 20 years. We met when I took some doors for him to strip in Bingley and he made an impression on me then.

"He is a wonderful fella and the nicest guy I have met. You could not wish to meet a nicer fella.

"He worked like a Trojan and he could not do enough for anybody. He used to cook up meals for the other lads in the yard. He is a gentle eccentric."

Mr Bland, of Bingley, was later transferred to Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield where his condition was today described as "critical".

He used to run his business at Ebor Mills, Bingley, but moved to the Railway Road site about two years ago.

Police were called to the accident scene and have passed over the investigation to the Health and Safety Executive, which will hold an inquiry.