GANGS of youths went on snowball rampages, across Southampton.

Residents were inundating police and non-emergency phone lines with reports of mass groups targeting the windows of their homes.

In some incidents up to 30 youngsters were said to have been involved, also hurling snowballs at moving cars.

A bus driver was forced to call the non-emergency 101 number after his double-decker became stuck along with two cars in the icy conditions in the Coxford area of the city.

With passengers on board, the 17A First service became surrounded by up to 30 people who were throwing snowballs at the windows.

In Wakefield Road and nearby Cornwall Road in Bitterne residents were reporting between 20 and 30 children causing a nuisance by going into the road and stopping traffic, also throwing snoballs at people’s windows.

Meanwhile, in River View Road, about 20 youths were having snowball fights and hitting the front windows of houses.

Outside Sainsbury’s in the Lordshill District Centre, shoppers and staff reported about 20 teenagers aged between 15 and 18 launching snowballs at each other, while some of the group wearing hoodies and tracksuit bottoms targeted a bus stop outside.

Meanwhile in Old Redbridge Road and nearby Brunel Road, about six children aged between 12 and 15 were targeting local houses and cars. Police officers on patrol in Townhill Park also came under a snowball attack as they travelled through Meggeson Avenue.