MOTORISTS have welcomed a crackdown on vandals who put lives at risk by hurling missiles at cars.

The police action follows a series of incidents where drivers have escaped with their lives after yobs hurled stones and bricks at their windscreens.

Police are mounting a campaign to catch the culprits before they kill, and have joined forces with Brighton and Hove Council and the Highways Agency to stamp out the menace.

The latest attacks have been from the footbridge from the back of the Hangleton estate Hove, on to the Downs.

Vandals have also used the footbridge which crosses the bypass at Hollingbury.

Six motorists reported their vehicles had been hit by stones thrown from the 40ft bridge, which leads from Buckley Close on to the the Downs near Brighton and Hove golf course last Saturday.

One of the victims was Dr Chris Boyne, 52, from Channel View Road, Woodingdean, an information technology lecturer at Brighton University.

Astone bounced off his Alfa Romeo and pierced the windscreen of his car.

He said: "It sounded as if a bullet had hit the windscreen. If it had pierced the windscreen and hit me directly I could have been killed.

"These people must be caught before someone dies."

Another victim was Tim Shadbolt, 47, who runs Meridian Motors in Peacehaven. His van was hit as he passed under the footbridge at Hollingbury.

Mr Shadbolt said: "The police are right to mount a special operation to catch the vandals. But everyone knows police can't man every single footbridge."

Police are now mounting special patrols on and around the Hangleton bridge and Brighton Council is distributing 450 leaflets warning of the dangers of stone throwing.

The Highways Agency is organising a clean-up of the area to remove as many stones as possible from around the bridge.

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