This shocking picture shows just how closed a minibus carrying youngsters with special needs came to tragedy.

It's believed the window was smashed by a teenager who hurled a heavy metal bolt at the vehicle as it made its way down the steep road on Lockwood Scar in Newsome.

The teenager was stood with a friend - and the pair were both in school uniform.

What the thug didn't know about - or simply didn't care - was that young Charlie Senior was sat just six inches from where the bolt smashed into the bus window, shattering it.

The Mercedes Sprinter minibus, operated by Kirklees Council’s schools transport, was taking five children home from Castle Hill School.

Charlie, aged seven, who suffers with cerebral palsy and is also blind, was showered with fragments of glass after the impact on Monday at around 3.30pm.

Hi mum Joanne Senior, of Golcar, said: "The consequences don’t bear thinking about.

Charlie Senior
Charlie Senior

"To throw something like this at any vehicle is bad enough but this is a minibus which obviously has disabled children on board. The bus could have crashed.

"He understood what had happened when we explained it to him. He can’t see but heard the noise and kept repeating what it sounded like.

The window, an emergency exit, remained mostly intact until the bus got back to the depot where the glass fell in.

The driver stopped the minibus and pursued the two youngsters, who had been standing at the junction of Barcroft Road, but couldn't catch them.

Now police are appealing for the public's help to catch the teenagers by ringing 101 with any information.

PC Brian Richardson, of Huddersfield police, said: "Throwing anything at a vehicle can be very dangerous and puts the lives of drivers, passengers and other people on the road or in the area at risk.

"The two suspects were in identifiable school uniform and we will be liaising with that school to try and find out who was responsible and to reinforce this safety message.

"At this stage there is no evidence to indicate that this incident was targeted at a specific school or pupil."

In unrelated investigations, police would like to speak to the people pictured in the image gallery below. The people pictured in the images may be witnesses as well as suspects. If you recognise anyone, contact police on 101 quoting the reference number on the image caption.