Police probe mindless Edinburgh bus attack as passenger 'showered with glass'

Reckless youths have forced the suspension of an Edinburgh bus service to East Lothian after a passenger was showered with glass when an object was hurled through a bottom deck window.

The 44 service travelling from the Capital to Wallyford was halted on Musselburgh High Street when youths smashed a hole in the glass with a projectile on Wednesday afternoon.

Eyewitnesses told how one elderly passenger, sitting inches away from the window, was covered in shards, but thankfully escaped without injury before the driver was forced to pull over and await the arrival of police.

It is the latest in a spate of sickening attacks on drivers after recent figures revealed bus services were targeted by anti-social behaviour five times every day during lockdown.

Police are now investigating this latest incident and are carrying out enquiries with local businesses and homeowners who may have seen the incident.

One told Edinburgh Live how the passenger was "extremely lucky to miss" the object when it was thrown at high speed at the bus at the corner of the High Street and Newbigging at around 1:30pm.

The eyewitness added: "He got off when the bus stopped and was able to walk away, but he got lucky.

"Whatever [they] threw was really close to hitting him in the head."

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "Officers remain on the scene and are continuing inquiries into the incident."

A Freedom of Information request last month revealed there were a total of 552 incidents of anti-social behaviour towards drivers between December 26 2020 and April 21 2021 - 92 of which involved broken windows.

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In March, Lothian Buses released a harrowing video telling the story of an Edinburgh bus driver who was left scared to even board a bus after someone launched a rock through his window.

He was left injured with an abrasion to his cornea and spoke about how he was mentally 'destroyed' by the attack.

A spokesperson for Lothian added: "We can confirm that one of our buses was involved in an incident this afternoon and we are assisting Police Scotland with their enquiries.”