Portsmouth youths smash window of bus carrying hospital staff

A nurse sitting next to the shattered window suffered a panic attack, the bus firm said

Youths throwing rocks have smashed the window of a bus carrying hospital workers causing a nurse to suffer a panic attack, a bus operator has said.

The park-and-ride service for NHS staff was targeted in James Callaghan Drive, Portsmouth, at 16:30 GMT on Friday, First Solent added.

None of the Queen Alexandra Hospital workers were seriously hurt, the company said.

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust has declined to comment.

A hospital staff bus crashed on the same road in a separate incident in December (pictured)

First Solent managing director Marc Reddy said the workers were returning to their cars after completing "long frontline shifts".

He said: "I am sad to confirm that on Friday afternoon a dedicated NHS hospital service, carrying seven hospital staff from Queen Alexandra Hospital back to their cars, was attacked on James Callaghan Drive by youths throwing rocks.

"One passenger, a nurse, suffered a panic attack after the window next to where she was sitting shattered."

In a separate incident in December, a hospital bus came off the same road slightly injuring two NHS staff, the Portsmouth News reported.

Hampshire Constabulary has been approached for comment on Friday's incident.