Grandfather hurt by falling toy tractor

♦ A grandfather required stitches to a serious head wound after youths “aged between six and eight” hurled a ride-on toy tractor off a bridge onto his head.

Alan Taylor was walking his dog, Rosie, beneath an underpass near Cass House Road, in Hemlington, Middlesbrough, when at least two youngsters dropped the tractor on him.

The force of the impact on Sunday afternoon left the 69-year-old covered in blood and he had to be rushed to hospital. He lost almost two pints of blood and needed 11 stitches.

Mr Taylor, of Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, said: “Two people said they saw two youths. They were waiting on one side of the road, saw me go underneath, ran to the other side and, as I was coming out, threw it over the top.”

He said he was told the suspects were said to be around six to eight years old.