A TEENAGE girl who was injured when thugs hurled half a breezeblock through a bus window was lucky to escape serious injury, police said last night.

The 17-year-old, who has not been named, was travelling on a Go North-East service from Durham City to Consett. The vandals struck as the bus passed through Stanley.

The girl suffered head injuries and was treated at the University Hospital North Durham.

Police said that if the window frame had not slowed down the flight of the brick, her life could have been in danger.

PC Graeme Whitfield, from Derwentside police, said: "The breezeblock bounced off the window frame before striking this poor girl on the back of the head.

"She had to go to hospital, but was very lucky that her injuries were not life threatening."

The attack happened at about 10.40pm on Friday as the number 718 service travelled along Louisa Terrace, behind the Asda store, in Stanley.

A spokesman for Go North- East said there were ten other passengers on the bus at the time, but no one else suffered injuries.

Police believe the masonry block was thrown by someone standing on a grassed area at the side of the road.

Their investigation has been hampered by the heavy fog that night, which seriously reduced visibility.

PC Whitfield said: "We are still checking the CCTV footage, but you couldn't see past the end of your nose that night with the fog.

"There is a good chance that there was more than one person there, which means somebody somewhere knows who threw it.

"This was a serious incident and we would urge them to get in touch."

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Whitfield at Consett police station, on (01207) 504204.