A GANG of youths bombarded a woman's car with a hail of stones as she drove through a village near York.

Liz Porter, from Shipton-by-Beningbrough, was left "angry and upset" after the attack at Skelton.

She had just dropped off a friend after a night class in York and as she headed past the village green her car was hit by a hail of stones.

She said: "It was really frightening. I just heard a load of missiles hit my car and there was a crash of glass, which was one of my headlamps smashing. Something came right across my front windscreen and my side window was also hit.

"I slammed on the brakes and this group of youths, which included girls, just scattered to the four winds."

Mrs Porter, 50, drove home after the attack, which happened at about 8.45pm on Tuesday, and told her husband who called the police.

The glass of a front headlight of her H-registration Volkswagen Golf had been smashed and her windscreen and passenger side window were marked where the objects had hit them.

She said: "Thank God nothing happened to me. If that missile had come through my windscreen it could have been a lot worse. That's what really upset me. I was just minding my own business making my way home."

Sergeant Colin Ventress, of York police, said the police were aware of nuisance youth problems in Skelton and would be looking into the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to phone the police in York on 01904 631321.

Updated: 11:11 Friday, March 22, 2002