A TAXI driver has told how he miraculously escaped serious injury when a brick was thrown at his car from a bridge.

Brian Gould, from Ashford, was returning from a job in Littlestone, near New Romney, when the house brick crashed against the windscreen on the passenger side of his Peugeot 406, causing him to veer off the A2070 at Hamstreet and up a grass bank.

Mr Gould, 54, who had only been driving cabs for two weeks, was left frozen with fear, with the brick resting on his bonnet.

Amazingly, he walked away unhurt from the incident, suffering only from severe shock.

It was a chilling reminder of an attack in November last year which left mother-of-three Ro Govett blinded in one eye when she was hit in the face by a brick which smashed through the window of her Peugeot 406 on the A28, near Bethersden. Those responsible for that incient have never been caught.

Mr Gould: "I was just going under a bridge when the brick came down and hit the window.

It pushed the windscreen right in and showered glass all over the passenger seat. If I had someone in the front, or if it had been another car with a family in it, it could have been really serious.

"Whoever did this needs help. These people are sick, they're going out and getting a kick out of this. I wonder how they would feel if it happened to one of them or their family."

The incident happened when married father-of-two Mr Gould noticed two figures standing on the bridge, but thought nothing of it.

After his car was sent veering off the road, a retained firefighter from New Romney came to Mr Gould's aid and called the police.

He said: "I think his name was Graham Smith and he was great. I was literally shaking. It was the pure shock of it. He stopped to see if I was OK and phoned the police and they were marvellous."

Investigating officers want to speak to any witnesses and are asking the firefighter to come forward in the hope that he has vital information as they attempt to trace those responsible.

PC Eric Filler said: "The incident is very serious and could have resulted in serious injury or death to the driver. We believe the brick was thrown from the bridge and we have no evidence to suggest that it came from another vehicle."

Mr Gould has refused to let the incident affect him or his job and was back behind the wheel the next day.

He added: "If you know who did this come forward and grass them up. If they do it again people might not be so lucky and it could be another tragedy like Bethersden."

The incident occurred on Wednesday, November 10, just before 4.30pm. Witnesses or people with information are urged to call PC Filler on 01233 611055.