A FATHER today issued a plea for help finding the thugs who attacked his ten-year-old daughter with a brick after revealing she may lose her eye.

Nadia Butler is being treated on a children's ward in Burnley General Hospital where doctors are keeping her sedated and while they try to assess what damage has been done to her right eye.

Last Friday Rossendale Transport declared the Pennine Estate a no-go zone for buses after 4pm after several incidents of stones being thrown at buses -- the latest involved a driver being ambushed. But the incidents occurred half a mile apart and are not being linked by police.

Nadia's father George, of Burnley Road, Bacup, said: "I am frightened for her. I am scared to death, to tell you the truth."

He said he had been with his daughter and her cousin Stephanie Mannion, 12, in Bacup town centre on Sunday evening at about 5.45pm.

Nadia and Stephanie were in front of George and were walking into the Day and Nite Store on the corner of Union Street and King Street when the girls heard a thud as a group of boys hurled stones at a white car with a male driver inside.

George said: "Nadia turned around and there was a brick coming towards her in mid-air and it struck her right in the eye.

"She was crying in the store when I got to her and I thought it was her mouth at first, and then I saw her eye.

"The doctors just don't know what is going to happen. They wanted her to stay in on Sunday but she wanted to come home but yesterday we had to take her back and they have kept her in and sedated her. "She will be in hospital for at least a few days because she had a blood clot on her eye which has haemorrhaged again."

Nadia lives with her grandmother Norah Butler in Birch Street, Bacup, and attends St Mary's RC School, Bacup, where her friends are aware of what has happened.

Her dad described her as a very popular and happy little girl.

She was ten on Saturday and had celebrated with a party for 35 of her friends at Bacup Cricket Club.

George said: "It was a brilliant day and she had a good day on Sunday out with my sister in Waterfoot at a christening.

"She was going to the shop to spend some of her birthday money to buy some sweets for her cousin, and then this happens.

"I have asked a few people to keep their ears open. I will get to the bottom of it."

Sgt Roger Barlow said: "We are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward. It is a very busy part of Bacup with the supermarkets and Mario's pizza take-away.

"We also want the driver of the car to come forward and anyone who has heard these youngsters talking about what they had done.

"There have been too many incidents of stones being thrown causing damage to property and vehicles in the Bacup area and now this.

"If you know anything about this incident contact the police."

Anyone with information should contact 01706 237442 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111