An 81-year-old man was left with blood pouring from his head after a brick was hurled through the window of a bus in Telford.

The attack was one of two on Arriva Midlands buses in the town yesterday afternoon. The man was travelling with his wife on one of the buses along Dale Acre Way, in Hollinswood.

The missile smashed straight through a side window and hit the pensioner on the side of the head.

Minutes before, the windscreen of another bus travelling along the same road was shattered by a brick causing £3,000 of damage.

No-one was injured in that incident.

Following the attacks, police immediately flooded the area with officers and today issued an urgent appeal for witnesses to catch those responsible.

The man was taken by ambulance to Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital but was released last night and is now recovering at home.

Today police spokesman Chris Ammonds said it could have turned out much worse.

He said: “We are very keen to find the people responsible for this attack, and when we do they can expect to be dealt with in a very robust manner.

“While we suspect there was no intent to harm, the act in itself was reckless and an 81-year-old man was injured.

“From the amount of blood that was pouring from his head we initially thought we were dealing with a very serious matter, and it is only through luck that it turned out not to be so.”

A female passenger sitting behind the pensioner also suffered minor cuts and grazes from the glass shattering.

Mr Ammonds said witnesses had reported youths hanging around in the area yesterday afternoon and said police were keen to speak to anyone who saw or heard anything about the attacks.

Arriva Midlands spokeswoman Suzanne Gee said the company was aware of the incidents.

“The police are investigating and we are waiting to hear more information,” she added.

Anyone with information is urged to call Telford police on 0300 333 3000 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.