A SHAKEN rail passenger feared he had glass lodged in his ear after a train window was shattered by an object thrown at it.

Nihad Cehic, 26, of Oakley Terrace, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, was on the Northern Rail service on Wednesday, March 11, just before 7pm.

He was showered in glass when the window next to his seat was shattered by an object thrown from the track side as the train approached Shildon station, in County Durham.

Sitting in the aisle seat he was not badly injured in the attack but he did suffer minor cuts to his head and left ear.

Later feeling something inside his ear, and unsure if it was glass, he had it checked at out Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Mr Cehic, a community fundraising manager for the NSPCC, said: “I was on my way home. I was not really facing the window.

“I heard a bang and then a group of girls across from me began asking what had happened.

“I turned round and saw that the window had been smashed and that my ear was bleeding slightly.

“A baby could have been in the seat next to the window and I was quite lucky as it could have been a lot worse.

“It was really dark outside. I wasn’t really sure what had happened and I didn’t see anyone. I was a little bit shaken.”

The British Transport Police (BTP) is appealing for anyone in the area on March 11 between 6.30pm and 7pm who saw anything suspicious to get in touch.

PC Nick Jones, of the BTP, said: “This was an extremely foolish and dangerous act. It put the driver and passengers on the train at serious risk.

“The window shattered and small glass fragments hit a man resulting in a cut to his ear.

“Luckily the majority of the glass, although shattered, remained in the frame, which was extremely lucky for him and others in the carriage.

“Had it all smashed and flown out, there could have been a number of serious injuries.”

A Northern Rail spokeswoman said: “Incidents like these not only put staff in danger but also risk the lives of the passengers.

“As a result, our passengers can suffer long and unnecessary delays and disruption to their journey.

“A damaged window also means a train has to be taken out of service for repair causing further delays and disruptions.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact BTP on 0800-405040 or text 61016 quoting PSUB/B4 of 18/3/2015 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555111.