THUGS left baby Peter Knee showered with broken glass on his first trip out after recovering from meningitis.

The baby overcame the illness, but when he left the house for the first time with his mother he was lucky to escape with his life a second time.

Five-week-old Peter was travelling on the Tyneside Metro system with his mother, Wendy, when youths fired a rock from a catapult at the train's window.

The glass shattered, cutting baby Peter, who had spent the previous three weeks battling for life at Newcastle General Hospital.

He developed the killer disease shortly after being born three weeks prematurely and was under constant supervision in hospital.

Wendy Knee, 33, of Windsor Walk, Kingston Park, Newcastle, said: "The trip on the Metro was to be a surprise visit to my mother-in-law, but it turned into a nightmare.

"I thought someone had fired a gun at the train the noise was so loud.

She added: "I felt a huge thump on my back when the rock smashed through the window.

"The glass was everywhere, all over my clothes and covering Peter's neck and inside the pram."

Peter suffered cuts to his face.

Metro operator Nexus promised to introduce additional fencing and screens around the area.

Nexus director Robert Smith said: "Our thoughts are with the child and his family, who must be extremely shocked."