TERRIFIED passengers dived for cover as rampaging yobs smashed bottles through the window of a moving bus.

A female passenger escaped serious injury when the vehicle's double glazing prevented the glass from shattering into her face. The beer bottles were thrown by gangs of youths who had gathered on a green area in The Village, close to Strensall village hall.

As a safety precaution, First bus chiefs immediately cancelled the number five service which links Strensall to York city centre Peter Edwards, First's commercial director, said the woman was "very disturbed" by the incident but unharmed.

He revealed the yobs threw more bottles at the bus after it had stopped and then the driver came under attack from flying missiles when he was inspecting the damage.

"When the police turned up the youths dispersed but then drifted back later and threw another bottle at a staff member," Mr Edwards said.

"While they waited for the police, one of the youths came over and had the nerve to ask why the buses had stopped running."

The driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "We shouldn't be subject to this sort of thing when all we're doing is our job.

"I'm concerned about what the consequences might have been had the window not been double glazed."

Mr Edwards said another bus on the same route had earlier suffered a smashed window along the same stretch when an unidentified missile was thrown.

A spokeswoman for York police said two people were arrested in connection with the incident for public order offences, and another on suspicion of criminal damage. All are on police bail and aged 15 and 16.

No-one has yet been charged.

Mr Edwards said the two incidents took place at 3pm and 8.30pm on Tuesday.

"Had it been a single- glazed vehicle which we do have, then the passenger could have been showered with broken glass," he said.

"We don't want to deny the vast majority of our customers the right to travel, but we have a responsibility to keep our staff safe. If we can't guarantee that, we are reluctant to operate a service.

"Anything like this can be very dangerous."

Passengers on the number five bus last night were shocked by the attack.

One man, in his 50s, who asked not to be named, said: "I've never experienced problems and I always catch this particular bus.

"I've not heard of people throwing bottles before but there was a phase of eggs being thrown at windows a while ago.

"I think there was an incident in another area about a year ago when some girls threw another girl at a bus - but the bus company just used a different route for a while."

Strensall itself was quiet with no-one on the streets outside the village shops, or hanging about at bus stops near the library and the Ship pub.

The bus terminus at the end of the village was also quiet with no youths hanging about in the area following the previous night's arrests.

'Riding shotgun' option

BUS bosses could consider asking police to "ride shotgun" on services if attacks continue in York.

Peter Edwards, First commercial director, said that no formal approaches had been made, but the company could ask officers to step in if vehicles are subjected to more assaults.

This latest terrifying bus attack is not the first time First has been forced to suspend services.

In January last year, buses were halted in Chapelfields after a knifepoint robbery on the Number 1 bus.

In May 2004, services were rerouted for several weeks after a string of vehicles were attacked.

In September, the Number 4 was suspended for one night in Acomb after a driver was shot in the eye by yobs firing a pellet gun.

Updated: 09:48 Thursday, February 16, 2006