9:30am Thursday 6th November 2008
By Keighley News reporter
Police have stepped-up patrols after a father and his seven-month-old baby were pelted with bricks and fireworks while driving down Highfield Lane, in Keighley.
A passenger in the car, a 26-year-old man from Keighley, was taken to Airedale Hospital with head injuries after he was hit with a brick and knocked unconscious during the attack.
The driver — a 25-year-old father-of-one from Riddlesden — said his daughter could have been killed in the ambush, which happened at 8pm last Friday.
He said: “I was driving down Highfield Lane and a lad walked out into the middle of the road near Burgess playing field like he did not see the car coming.
“I slowed down to let him cross, then he looked in the car and shouted to some others who then began throwing bricks at us.
“My passenger had his window down and a brick hit his face and smashed his head in.
“I was concerned about my little girl, so I just drove around the corner and checked on her then called the police. She was covered in glass but she was all right. If a brick had have hit my daughter it could have killed her and they would have got away with it.”
The victim estimates the damage to his car will cost around £700 to repair.
The injured passenger said he was recovering but still had blurred vision in one of his eyes.
The perpetrators are described as around five Asian males aged approximately 17-19.
Chief Insp Mick Hanks, of Airedale and North Bradford police, said: “We are aware of this matter and take all reports of incidents which could be racially aggravated very seriously.”
Any with information about the incident is asked to call 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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