Leeds dad blinded in a glass attack is now coming together with another victim
Leeds dad Matthew Syron and Natalie Arthurs from Swansea have come together to grow a push for glass to be banned in bars and pubs after 9pm
A man from Leeds who was blinded in a glass attack on Boxing Day is now coming together with another victim, as they campaign for glass to be banned in bars and pubs after 9 pm.
Matthew Syron was attacked in Leeds city centre whilst in the UK visiting his family over Christmas - he now lives in Australia with his fiancée and two young children.
The 32-year-old is still undergoing surgery to try and repair his sight and hasn't been able to return home.
He launched a petition to ban glass in bars and clubs after 9pm, and it's something Natalie Arthurs from Swansea is also backing, but for Wales.
The 36-year-old was also glassed in the face in an unprovoked attack in November 2022.
Natalie said: "I went into the toilets of a night club, and that's when I was applying my makeup in the mirror, I kind of heard somebody come behind me say something along the lines of "who do you think you are" and, as I turned around, it happened so quickly, I heard the glass smash and that's when I was attacked with a broken wine glass."
She's now launched a similar petition in Wales.
Natalie has spoken with Matthew recently, and she told us: "Nobody deserves what happened to Matthew, it's just awful and I did feel really connected to him, I feel like we had a bond because, we have shared something so similar and so dramatic".
In February of this year, Natalie's attacker, Emily Williams, 25, from Carmarthenshire, was jailed for five years for the assault.
In March, Matthew Syron's attacker, 38-year-old Gareth Dean was jailed for 10 years.