A GROUP of people who threw huge balls of snow on to vehicles travelling at speeds of up to 70mph, smashing a windscreen and denting a roof, have been condemned as “utterly mindless”.

Two or three offenders wearing hooded tops dropped the snowballs, described as the size of a large snowman’s head, from a bridge crossing a hilly stretch of the A19 at Knayton, near Thirsk.

North Yorkshire Police said when the balls hit the vehicles, some of the drivers suffered shock and their views of the dual carriageway ahead became obscured.

All the affected drivers managed to stop safely following the incidents at various times over the weekend, including at 6.30pm and 9pm on Saturday (January 26) and around lunchtime the following day.

Police said the offenders had thrown the snowballs indiscriminately at both the northbound and southbound carriageways during a period of heavy rain and it was possible there had been a number of near misses that had not been reported.

Officers were yesterday conducting house-to-house enquiries in the area to track down the offenders and urged any drivers who avoided a snowball to contact them.

PC Andrew Johnson said it was only through good luck that no one was killed.

He said: “These were acts of utterly mindless stupidity. Throwing anything from bridges at passing cars has the potential to cause disastrous consequences.”

“The people who threw these balls of snow, which I believe would taken more than one person to lift, need to understand the potential dangers of their senseless actions.

“If you can identify those responsible for these reckless acts I urge you to contact the police or Crimestoppers straight away.”

North Yorkshire County Council highways chief and member for Knayton, Councillor Gareth Dadd said he had been “gobsmacked” that such a serious offence had happened in the village.

He said: “This is an absolutely unacceptable and horrific pastime for anyone to become involved in.

“The actions of those responsible are unrepresentative of the residents of this area.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101, email andrew.johnson@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.