Lorry driver who was hit in the face by a brick deliberately thrown at his window says he 'could have been killed' as hauliers across the country persistently targeted

Father-of-three Dave Green was delivering steel in Rotherham, when a gang of youths fired the brick at him, hitting him in the face and fracturing both his eye socket and his cheekbone.

The 48-year-old has spoken exclusively to The Yorkshire Post over fears for drivers across the country who are being targeted by youths, unaware of the potentially fatal consequences their actions could have.

Mr Green had taken a wrong turn and was reversing his lorry up Jubilee Street, off Canklow Road, in Rotherham, when disaster struck.

"I had my window down and something just hit me straight in the face and nearly knocked me out," he said.

"At first I wasn't aware of what had happened because I was looking behind me to reverse and didn't see the kids. They must have been hidden in the houses at the front.

"The brick hit me in the face and I stopped the wagon. A lady and gentleman came over to see me with their dogs and said she saw the brick and she explained that some kids had run off towards the park.

"At the time it shook me up to be honest and was really uncomfortable. My face was an absolute mess.

"If it had hit my eyeball I could have been blinded, or worse if the brick had hit my temple, which it was about an inch away from, it could have killed me.

"My daughter was heartbroken when she saw what had happened to me. She didn't want me to go to work again after it."

Mr Green says attacks similar to what happened to him are becoming increasingly common.

"The latest trend is kids tying a brick or stone to a piece of string and attaching it to the wagon without us knowing," he said. "Then when a lorry driver is going at a faster speed it flies up and hits the windscreen.

"A friend of mine, who is also a lorry driver, was in a bad accident when someone dropped a paving stone off a bridge over a motorway and it hit his windscreen, causing him to swerve and hit another car.

"These people don't think of the consequences their actions have. You can try telling them, but nothing seems to get though and they don't seem to care. They just think it's funny, but they could kill someone."

South Yorkshire Police are investigating the incident and appealing for anyone with information to get in touch.

PC Leah Tolliday said: "These bricks were launched towards the cab and hit the driver in the face, causing serious injuries.

"This was a thoroughly distressing incident for him, and we are working hard to identify those responsible.

"If you were in the area on the morning of March 10, and saw the incident happen or have any dash cam footage which captured what happened, please do get in touch."

Anyone with information can call police on 101, quoting log 588 of March 10.