A COUPLE today recalled the terrifying moment their car windscreen was broken on a Hampshire motorway when vandals hurled a missile from a bridge.

As reported by the Daily Echo, the object - similar in size to a golf ball - smashed into the front of the Toyota Yaris as it travelled east on the M27 at 70mph.

The terrifying incident happened at 2am on Sunday and police believe the object was thrown from the A33 bridge at Chilworth, near the Clock filling station.

Eastleigh Sgt Julie Fry labelled the incident "needless and extremely dangerous" and appealed for help in tracking down those responsible.

The Hedge End couple, who have asked not to be named, were returning from a meal out with friends when the vandals struck.

The 50-year-old male driver, who works as a shipbuilder, said: "The road was completely empty of any traffic and very dark. The object hit my wife's side and, luckily, the windscreen held.

"It was only small fragments of glass that came in. The windscreen was cracked all the way across but my view wasn't impaired and I carried on driving. I didn't stop because I didn't know if it was some sort of ploy to get me to stop."

Instead, the man and his 47-year-old wife drove straight to Eastleigh police station to report the incident.

The driver added: "I knew straight away what had happened, that something had to have been thrown or dropped on the car.

"I think it was a lucky escape. I was a little bit angry - you hope that they couldn't think of the consequences and were doing it for a bit of a joke."

Police want anyone who was in the area and saw anything suspicious to contact Eastleigh police station on 0845 045 4545.