A COUNCILLOR has spoken of his outrage at yobs who threw a stone off a railway bridge, smashing the window of a passing bus.

Cllr Steve Holgate, who represents the Chorley Central ward on Lancashire County Council, believes action has to be taken after the incident on Spendmore Lane, Coppull, at 3pm on Sunday.

It is believed a group of teenagers sat on a railway bridge threw a stone and smashed the window.

Such was the extent of the damage caused, the service had to be terminated until a replacement vehicle could be dispatched.

An eyewitness said: “This kind of behaviour is so dangerous someone could have been killed.

“I think there were about five boys and a girl on the bridge.”

Cllr Holgate said: “It is disgraceful behaviour and the people who did it have to be brought to task.

“Elderly and disabled people along with mums with prams usually sit on those seats where the window smashed. It could have had a devastating outcome.

“We have only one service that goes through Coppull and I would hope the bus companies don’t take the decision to take it off us because of this incident. People need this service.”

Cllr Holgate added that villagers believe anti-social behaviour is getting worse in the area.

He said: “We have had conversations with the police and they said they were working to improve the police presence in Coppull.

“This has to be a last chance saloon for the people who were responsible.

“We know that it is a couple of individuals (doing this).

“The residents are just fed up and it is annoying the whole community.”

Chorley MP Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “We have had issues in the past with gangs in the area but thankfully police clamped down on it.

“We have to have more police resources so people can go about their daily business and lives without any fear for their safety.”

An Arriva spokesperson said: “There has been no reported injuries, however the issue has been shared with the police who are currently investigating the incident.

“As the bus was no longer fit for service the journey was terminated at that point and a replacement bus was supplied.

“We would like to apologise to passengers for any inconvenience caused by circumstances which were beyond our control.”

The Chorley Citizen contacted Lancashire Police for a comment regarding this incident but they had not come back at the time of going to press.