Objects thrown from footbridge

Police are investigating after a group of teenagers were spotted throwing objects from a footbridge onto the A690 at Houghton.

Police have confirmed that they received a report late on Sunday afternoon (April 25) that a group of teenagers had been throwing objects from the footbridge onto the A690 below.

Officers say they have received no reports of any vehicles being damaged in the incident – with those responsible having already left the area when police arrived at the scene.

The road below has a speed limitof50mphandobjectshitting cars from above have the potential to cause life-threatening injuries.

It happened just a day after an ambulance technician in the West Midlands died when his vehicle’s windscreen was struck by an object.

Police have issued a warningaboutthedangersofthrowing objects and are urging parents to speak to their childrenaboutthepotentialconsequences of their actions.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “We can confirm we received a report on late Sunday afternoon that teenagers had been throwing objectsoffafootbridgeontothe A690 at Houghton.

"We have not had any reports of vehicles being damaged and when officers attended the area those responsible had already left. Behaviour of this nature is completely unacceptable and can be incredibly dangerous.

"Not only could it cause significant damage to vehicles, but it could also cause a driver to lose control and cause a collision.

"The consequences of that are unthinkable and we would ask parents to speak to their children about exactly what could happen if they throw objectsontoabusymotorway.”

The teenagers' actions come just days after an ambulance technician died on Saturday morning when his ambulance was struck by an objectasherespondedtoa999 call in Herefordshire.

Jeremy Daw, known to friendsasJack,wasinthefront passenger seat at the time, had onlyreturnedtotheWestMidlands Ambulance Service in January this year, having retiredasaparamedicinNovember 2020.

Membersofthepublicwho may have information relating totheincidentinHoughtonon Sundayareaskedtocontactpolice by calling 101 quoting log 803 25/04/21.