POLICE are hunting youths who are putting the lives of drivers at risk by throwing bricks and breeze blocks onto vehicles from motorway bridges.

Durham Police say there have been several incidents of items being thrown from two bridges over the A1(M) near Coxhoe, County Durham, in recent weeks and if the offenders are not caught it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured.

On Tuesday night (November 13), a CCTV camera captured footage of two youths throwing items including a bag of cement and breeze blocks stolen from a nearby building site from a traffic bridge.

One makeshift missile smashed through the windscreen of a lorry.

The incident happened at about 10.30pm.

The suspected offenders, both male, are described as: about 16-years-old, 5ft 10ins, skinny and wearing a grey hooded top and jeans; and slim, younger than the other youth, also wearing a hooded top and jeans.

The second boy had a small whippet-type dog on a lead.

Police believe these youths may also be responsible for a number of other recent incidents.

On October 4, two males were reported as throwing bricks from the same bridge, damaging a vehicle travelling north. A few minutes later, the windscreen of a vehicle travelling south was smashed.

The next day at about 10pm, a brick was thrown from a nearby footbridge, smashing the windscreen of a lorry. The driver had to be taken to hospital with glass in his eyes.

On October 8, a lorry driver had to perform an emergency stop and was left shocked after a traffic cone was thrown at his vehicle.

Detective Sergeant Siobhan Jones, from Durham City CID, said: “At some level this might be entertaining for the youths involved but I don’t know how entertained they would be if somebody died.

“Someone knows who’s responsible. It’s somebody’s family member. I’d much rather arrest them for criminal damage than something else. It’s time for somebody to come forward.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Constable Steve Gothard at Durham City CID on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.