Dangerous prank costs lives

An ITV Anglia investigation has found hundreds of drivers have had missiles deliberately thrown at their vehicles on roads across ourregion.

The missiles include stones, rocks, bricks, paving slabs and even blocks of concrete.We've learnt that at least 411 incidents were reported to our region's police forces over a two-year period.

260 were recorded in Hertfordshire; 76 in Essex; 33 in Suffolk; 16 in Norfolk; 15 in Bedfordshire and 11 in Cambridgeshire.

Incidents have included:

• On the A12 in Essex last year - two cars were hit by lumps of concrete, leaving a passenger fighting for her life

• An ambulance responding to a 999 call was hit with a brick on the M1

• A lorry driver was killed five years ago in Northamptonshire when debris was thrown onto the A45.

Cedar Coaches in Bedford has had vehicles targeted a number of times.The damage has cost tens of thousands of pounds.

Peter Nash, the Operations Manager, told us: "We've had incidents where vehicles been going down the road and there's been kids or youths stood by the side of the road throwing stones at vehicles, which has hit the glass andshattered the windows."

He added: "It frightens the driver but then it ultimately puts thevehicle off the road and it then starts incurring costs.

"It's a crime that all of our region's police forces have come across"

If anyone sees anything suspicious, they are advised to contact police on the new 101 number. Calls should only be made to999 if someone is in immediate danger