NEW buses bought to help launch First York's new Metro service have been damaged in attacks by vandals.

The company's fleet took a hammering this weekend with bricks, bottles and even footballs striking vehicles.

Now the last bus of the night is to be withdrawn from Chapelfields again after youths threw a brick at the side window of the 11.30pm service on Friday night.

On Saturday at 9.42pm a bottle was hurled at the front of a bus at Burton Green. The window, directly in front of the driver, was damaged but not penetrated.

And police were called to Cornlands Road on Sunday night after a complaint from a driver that kids were kicking footballs at the bus.

Managing director of First York Brian Asquith told the Evening Press: "This sort of mindless vandalism will not be tolerated.

"The safety of drivers is at stake. Two of our brand new buses have now been withdrawn from service for repairs."

The late service into Chapelfields had only been rescheduled a week ago and First York have confirmed that it will not run again in the near future.

All services after 8pm had already been withdrawn after a spate of vandalism attacks over the last year.

"Services into the area had been cancelled due to the problem of vandalism and soon after we re-establish the service another incident takes place," added Mr Asquith.

"The incident is made worse because the bus has been in service for such a short time."

City of York councillor Tracy Simpson-Laing, who has been campaigning for some time to get the Chapelfields service running again, was disappointed to hear of the latest incident.

"It is such a shame that the behaviour of one individual can effect a bus service that means so much to so many," she told the Evening Press.

"We will continue to campaign to get these services back but these acts of vandalism are going to do nothing for our cause."

Coun Simpson-Laing has held meetings with First York, the police and local residents to try and resurrect the service, but this latest incident may put back her efforts.

Updated: 08:38 Tuesday, September 25, 2001