MINDLESS youngsters are playing a potentially fatal game by throwing stones at passing cars.

Cabbie Geoff Charlton, who had the windscreen of his taxi cracked, is one of ten motorists to have reported such incidents to police in the past month.

The 61-year-old said he jumped out of his car and saw a group of about half a dozen youngsters, aged between 11 and 14. One still had a stone in his hand.

Acting Inspector Glynn Bass said yesterday: "These attacks are the actions of mindless people and could lead to someone being seriously injured or even killed."

"What may seem good fun at the time for these kids will not be such fun when we arrest them and put them before the courts to face the consequences."

"This has got to stop before someone gets seriously hurt. I would urge these youngsters to stop doing this stupid act and appeal to parents to talk to their kids about the potential tragic consequences involved with throwing stones at moving vehicles."

The incidents have all happened in Ormesby Road, Middlesbrough.

Mr Charlton said his car was targeted at 7pm on Tuesday as he passed a Kwiksave store.

"If I had swerved, it could have been into something coming the other way," he said.

He said he saw one of the gang was still holding a stone. "I just stared at him and he dropped the stone, which must have been the size of a cricket ball. I chased after him, but could not catch him."

Insp Bass said: "I'm aware that in other parts of the country this type of behaviour has caused at least one fatality and we don't want it to happen here.

"I would also urge the kids that are there at the time, but not actually throwing anything, to let me know who the culprits are."

A 12-year-old arrested following an earlier incident on the same road told officers he did it as a game - to encourage the driver to stop and chase him.

Anyone with information about any of the incidents is asked to call Insp Glynn Bass, of East Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Policing, on 01642-302900 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111