Stone-throwing youths hurt driver

Police said the incident could have led to a fatal accident

A lorry driver feared he would die - or kill someone - when his windscreen was smashed by a teenager throwing things from a bridge above a motorway.

Shards of glass flew into the eyes of Stuart Dickson, 47, from Tayport, Fife, when his vehicle was struck as he drove along the M9 near Cambusbarron.

He managed to keep the lorry under control and pull over to the hard shoulder at about 1730 BST Friday.

Mr Dickson has promised the incident will not put him off driving.

The driver with Barhaul Ltd in Aberfeldy said: "I was blinded by the splinters of glass for about five seconds. They were in both eyes - and cuts all over my forehead, and cheeks, and my neck.

"They [paramedics] bathed my eyes right away on the hard shoulder in the ambulance, but they felt that I needed to go away to Stirling Royal to get x-rayed and cleaned our properly.

If an object goes through the windscreen of a vehicle travelling at 70mph it can carry the same force as a bullet. Ch Insp Donald McMillan Central Scotland Police

"I've never experienced anything like it in 27 years of driving LGVs."

Mr Dickson believes the windscreen was hit by a stone, or something the size of a golf ball.

He described what happened to him as a "horrific experience", but said he was recovering.

"I'm feeling ok," he said.

"I was a wee bit shocked all weekend, but I went out and had a few bottles of Budweiser and that sorted me out, sorted the nerves out.

"The lorry's getting the new windscreen fitted this afternoon. They [his employers] were wanting me to take a wee couple of days off and just relax for a wee while and get it out my system.

"But I decided there's no point in lying down to it, just take the bull by the horns and back to my work as soon as I felt able to go back."

Ch Insp Donald McMillan, from Central Scotland Police, said: "If an object goes through the windscreen of a vehicle travelling at 70mph it can carry the same force as a bullet. The consequences could be fatal.

"If the driver tries to take evasive action there is likely to be an accident at that kind of speed.

"This occurred during the evening rush hour and we are thankful it did not have more serious consequences."