A YOUNG New Forest driver had a miracle escape after a "bouncing bomb" smashed through her front and rear windscreens.

Sophie Tye was driving along the A326 near Hythe yesterday when a large stone flew off a passing lorry and hurtled towards her car.

The stone shattered the windscreen, missing her head by inches, before rocketing through the vehicle and punching a huge hole in the rear window. Sophie was showered in broken glass but managed to keep control of the car and stopped safely.

Police are attempting to trace the lorry, which may have been transporting rubble when the accident happened near the Applemore roundabout at 3pm.

Sophie, 20, of Harrier Green, Hardley, had just left work and was heading home.She said: "The stone was bigger than a tennis ball. It came off a passing lorry and started bouncing along the road towards me.

"I couldn't swerve out of the way because I had nowhere to go. "The stone smashed through the windscreen, missing my head by about four inches, before passing through the car and shattering the rear window."

"I was very shocked and had a few little cuts caused by broken glass but didn't need hospital treatment."

The incident, which could have had tragic consequences, is being investigated by police at Lyndhurst. A spokesman said: "We'd like to hear from anyone who was in the area and saw a lorry which appeared to have objects dropping off the back."