A PASSENGER has recalled the moment vandals fired a projectile and smashed the window of a bus she was travelling on.

Two buses sustained damage by projectiles fired from what Salisbury Reds believes were catapults on Monday, June 12.

One incident took place on St Michael's Hill, Bemerton Heath, while the other at Westwood Road and the company had to divert the R1 bus to Pembroke Road, then onto Queen Alexandra Road.

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Pauline Brocksom was on the bus at around 1.20pm when she heard a bang and felt something skim across her cheek.

Shocked but uninjured, she told the Journal that there were two girls sitting by the window who had "tiny slivers of glass" on their blazers.

Salisbury Journal: The bus was traveling along St Michael's Road when it was targeted.The bus was traveling along St Michael's Road when it was targeted. (Image: Google Maps)

Ms Brocksom said: "The driver got us all off as you could see the window was still splintering. He was going to flag down the next bus but a few of us were looking on the app and the next bus was not moving on Westwood Road."

This is where the second bus was targeted, forcing its driver to suspend the route.

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Ms Brocksom added: "One man was worried about missing a train & called a taxi. He offered to drop me and the two girls in town. He paid to the station and I paid for the rest of the way into town as I had to get to work."

Operations manager David Newton, at Salisbury Reds, has condemned the "highly dangerous" actions, adding: "The safety of our drivers and passengers is paramount, and we are working with police to identify those responsible.

"We will seek to prosecute anyone found to be responsible for this mindless act of vandalism."

This action comes two years after the last reported incident of 'catapulted ball bearings' smashing bus windows on St Michael's Hill.

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Wiltshire Police are investigating the incident and anyone who can help is asked to call 101 quoting reference number 54230061540.

A spokesperson for the force said: "We responded to reports of criminal damage to two buses in Salisbury at around 1.45pm yesterday (12/06).

"The first report was in The Valley, and the second was at Westwood Road."

Councillor Jenny Bolwell, for Fisherton and Bemerton Village, is worried the company will have to up its fares.

She said: "This is mindless vandalism and very dangerous. Passengers were frightened and someone could have been seriously hurt.

"My concern is Salisbury Reds will either stop the route which so many rely on or have no choice but put fares up to cover costs."

The bus is now running its normal route again.