A HEAVILY pregnant woman feared she would lose her baby when a gang of young yobs kicked through the window of a double decker bus.

Shaun and Tracey Emmett's new Ford Escort was showered with glass when the vandals struck at traffic lights close to Tesco, Accrington Road, Blackburn.

The gang, who were all Asian and aged between 18 and 25, had boarded the Blackburn Transport 17.26 Saturday service to Accrington in Penny Street, Blackburn. They kicked through the top deck front window when the vehicle stopped at the traffic lights.

The couple had been travelling in front of the bus back to their home in Hawthorn Bank, Altham.

Shocked Tracey, 26, who is due to give birth in four weeks, said: "We just heard a loud bang on the roof of our car. It frightened me to death.

"When I realised what had happened I was angry and shouted at the gang. I told them they could have made me lose my baby but they just ran off laughing." Her husband Shaun, 30, added: "I dread to think what would have happened if the sun roof had been open. I suppose it was a blessing in disguise that it wasn't sunny.

"I can't believe somebody would do something so stupid. Tracey could have gone into labour or anything."

Bus driver Stephen Holmes said the five youths had been shouting just before the window shattered.

He added: "They were sitting on the front seat on the top deck and I could hear some sort of argument then the window went through.

"They ran off when I stopped the bus to let passengers off.

"I am just glad nobody on the bus or the people in the car in front were hurt."

Anybody with information about the incident should ring Blackburn police on 01254 51212.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.