POLICE are investigating after yobs hurled rocks onto passing cars from a disused railway bridge.

The rocks hit a woman's windscreen and then just minutes later her husband's car.

At least three vehicles were struck as they drove down the Hereford Road in Ledbury and one had major windscreen damage.

Mike Farrington, of Wellington Heath, said his wife's car was hit by one of the rocks and the windscreen was damaged.

He said: "Whatever hit my wife’s car could have killed a cyclist or pedestrian, or it could have resulted in an accident if the shock caused a driver to swerve.

"I suspect other people must also have had things thrown at their cars but without the damage that we incurred and the resultant expense.

"It may well be children doing this, but it is clearly dangerous."

Remarkably, Mr Farrington's own car was also struck by the stone throwers at the bridge just minutes after his wife's car was attacked.

Mr Farrington said: "My wife and I were travelling underneath the disused railway bridge that carries the town trail towards Hereford when something struck my wife’s car with a large bang.

"Rather shaken, we stopped the car to find the windscreen had two impact marks in front of the passenger and a very large crack. We could not see what had caused the noise or damage."

Fortunately, the car had a modern laminated windscreen.

Mr Farrington said: "An old-style toughened screen would have completely shattered with that impact.

"We were both shaken and angry that such thoughtless behaviour had resulted in both damage to our property and potential danger to us and other road users.

"We took my wife's car home and re-started the journey in my car. Approaching the bridge again, 10 to 15 minutes later, we noticed a head with blond hair above the parapet, and something then struck my car, this time thankfully with no damage.

"I stopped and phoned the police. We then walked to the bridge on the trail, but there was no sign of the idiot who was doing this. What was clear, though, was that unless the individual is very tall they must have been clambering up the bridge parapet wall.

"Our insurance will pay for the replacement of the windscreen, but we must pay an excess of £95."

Police said this week that it was not the only stone-throwing incident that day (Saturday, August 24).

Inspector James Ashton, of the Herefordshire Rural Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: "This incident was reported to police at the time and attended by officers from Ledbury within 15 minutes of the call being logged.

"The area was searched by officers at the time, no persons were found on or near the bridge and we have no further lines of enquiry at this time."

There was one other complaint, apart from the one made by the Farringtons, leading to a second police search of the area.

Inspector Ashton said: "Police were made aware of one other similar report from the same afternoon. Again, officers were deployed and carried out an area search which sadly did not identify any suspects."

Since then there have been further police patrols of the town trail.

Inspector Ashton said: "The safer Neighbourhood Team has paid attention to the area since these incidents were reported and there have been no further similar reports.

"The height of the bridge parapet makes it difficult for suspects to be seen if they throw items over the edge onto the road below.

"However, if any members of the public has information which would assist us in identifying a suspect we would be very keen to hear from them."

They should call police on 101 and quote incident number 438S 240819.

The old railway bridge over the Hereford Road in Ledbury is part of the Ledbury Town Trail.