Hemlington attack: Man, 79, knocked unconscious as bricks hurled at home

The BBC has spoken to the couple involved but is not naming them

A 79-year-old man was knocked unconscious when he was hit on the head by a brick thrown at his home.

He had gone to investigate when he and his 95-year-old wife heard a thud at the door, which was also caused by a brick, in Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Another brick was hurled through the couple's window, narrowly missing the elderly woman who had moved when her husband shouted for help, police said.

Up to £1,000 is being offered for information that leads to the culprits.

The barrage happened at Dallas Court, Hemlington, about 18:30 BST on Saturday.

The injured man - who was struck by a house brick when he went outside - was taken to hospital for treatment but has since been released.

The couple's family said they had no idea why they were targeted.

'Traumatic'

It happened on what is known locally as "mischief night", during which Cleveland Police dealt with "a considerable number of incidents".

A dispersal order had been in place, which allows officers to order people to leave an area if they are being disruptive.

Ch Insp Daryll Tomlinson, from Cleveland Police, said the couple had been left "pretty shaken up" and were being supported by officers.

He said they had been "looking forward" to Halloween on Sunday and had planned to give local children sweets but were not able to.

Threats to harm officers were daubed on the front of Redcar police station

Ch Insp Tomlinson said police wanted to reassure the couple so they could "live the rest of their life in peace."

"We're doing all we can to identify those responsible and need the help of the local community to tell us what they know," he added.

"The couple now live with the traumatic emotional aftermath of what happened to them and the people who did this deserve to be held responsible."

Cleveland Police reported more than 1,000 calls to its control room last weekend.

Of those, 490 were emergency 999 calls - a 54% increase on the weekend before.

In the early hours of Sunday the police station in Redcar was vandalised, with threats to officers daubed on the building.

Cleveland Police also responded to incidents of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour, with groups of youths hurling missiles at vehicles and causing damage to businesses and homes.

A number of arrests had been made.