We place our faith in police tracking down bus yobs

The phrase 'the lowest of the low' is often used when condemning those who commit despicable acts. But even that doesn’t feel sufficient when describing the mindless yobs who thought it would be a laugh to throw stones at a bus carrying NHS staff.

Today we report how one nurse sitting in the First Bus vehicle suffered a panic attack as the window next to her was shattered.

She and six others on the parkand-ride service taking hospital workers back to their cars were lucky to escape injury.

What on earth were those responsible thinking?

It's bad enough to target a bus containing passengers.

But when that bus is transporting people who are part of a team working so hard to care for hundreds of Covid-19 patients at the Queen Alexandra at this critical stage of the pandemic, it feels even more sickening.

As Liz Jeremiah, a sister at QA Hospital and RCN Portsmouth branch chair, says: ‘At a time when staff at the hospital are working tirelessly to support and care for patients in unprecedented circumstances, behaviour such as this is not only morally reprehensible but puts lives at risk.'

Imagine if any of those on the bus had been injured, thus removing them from duty and placing even more pressure on the health service in its greatest time of need.

Fortunately, they weren't.

But it must have been a scary experience and tough for them to accept there are those out there who would treat them in this callous manner.

We hope the stone-throwers take a long, hard look at themselves and feel some sense of shame and remorse.

But frankly we won't hold our breath.

Instead we place our faith in the police doing all they can to find the people who did this and prosecute them.