MOTORISTS have come under attack from schoolchildren in an East Cleveland town.

Cars were first pelted with stones then fireworks hurled at motorists as they got out of their vehicles.

Fitter Mark Ford slammed on the brakes as a stone crashed through the driver's side window of his car on Roseberry Road, Redcar, covering he and wife, Ellie, with glass.

As he got out to inspect the damage, together with a woman motorist, whose car had also come under attack, the same gang of teenagers targeted the trio with fireworks.

Ex-Royal Navy seaman Mr Ford, 42, said: "As I, my wife and the lady stood on the side of the road, a rocket came shooting towards us."

Just half-an-hour before, the woman told the Fords, the car of a friend of hers had been attacked and a window broken.

The Redcar incident follows hard on the heels of two similar attacks on buses on Teesside.

A missile was thrown through the cab window of bus travelling along Ennis Square, in Dormanstown, on Sunday evening, cutting the driver's wrist.

A schoolboy is still being hunted after flinging a hammer through the window of a bus in Ingram Road, Middlesbrough, showering a male passenger with glass, last Friday. He escaped with cuts and bruises,

Mr Ford said: "I just hope something can be done. Over the years I was in the Navy I came back to the area on visits and just saw it getting worse. I am really questioning whether I want to stay here and not move on. Since I came back my bike has been stolen and recovered twice."

Mr Ford and his wife were on their way to visit a niece at Redcar, when he saw the gang in the street ahead of him.

"I saw them and just got a feeling they were up to something. I slowed down to 20mph.

He said: "It's dreadful. Driving at night, it's dark and it takes all your concentration watching all the other cars.

"With something like this happening, you could easily veer on to the pavement."

Cleveland Police officers caught some of those they believe were responsible and issued them with a number of anti-social behaviour warnings.

Witnesses are being asked to contact the police on (01642) 302626.