BUS services to Heysham village may be suspended at night, a bus company has warned.

It follows a growing number of attacks on vehicles in the area.

In one attack, a window was broken with a stone and the engine shut-off button on the side of the bus repeatedly pressed.

Police and Lancaster City Council officials have joined the bus company in a bid to stamp out the wanton vandalism.

But Stagecoach North West marketing manager Colin Nicholson told the Citizen this week that the safety of passengers and drivers was paramount - and if attacks continue the company might have to look at suspending services.

"We have had increasing problems with solid projectiles being thrown at our buses," says Mr Nicholson.

"By working with police, we hope their increased presence and patrols might reduce, if not stop, the problems.

But he adds that the danger of stones being thrown at bus windows was causing great concern, and although no injuries had been yet been caused, the ramifications were enormous.

He says gangs, operating under the cover of darkness, are now being watched by police, with full-time and community support officers working both covertly and in uniform to catch them.

Inspector Richard Debicki, of Morecambe Police, says the incidences of youths causing damage and nuisance to evening bus users is 'totally unacceptable'.

"We need to make it quite clear that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated," he says.

"Passengers and drivers have a right to go about their business without trouble. We are working in partnership with the bus company and the council to try to tackle the problem."

Heysham North's Cllr Tina Clifford agrees that the situation is 'very serious' because the attacks are potentially life threatening.

"The problem stems from bored youngsters who have nowhere to go and nothing to do. We keep talking about getting youth services involved here and that is one possible solution."

o PASSENGERS on a Stagecoach bus in Westminster Road, Morecambe, had a lucky escape when youths fired pellets from a .22 air rifle through a window, causing it to shatter, at 9.50pm last Tuesday. Police are appealing for witnesses.