A gang of rival fans that attacked a football supporters bus is being hunted in the Highlands.
The coach was ambushed in a hail of rocks and other missiles as Brora Rangers fans made their way home under police escort after a cup semi-final match against Wick Academy FC.
It was only by good fortune that no-one was injured, although a large window was shattered.
The attackers had lain in wait, under cover of darkness on the outskirts of the town, on Tuesday evening after the North of Scotland Cup semi-final which the visitors won 2-1.
A previous derby clash in the North of Scotland Cup at Wick’s Harmsworth Park in March, which Brora also won, was also marred by violence between the fans.
Both clubs then worked together to impose year-long bans on four people, one Brora Rangers supporter and three fans of Wick Academy, from both teams’ grounds.
Now following this latest incident Wick Academy has threatened to ban the perpetrators for life, and has appealed for information in tracing them.
A Wick Academy statement yesterday deplored the attack.
It read: “The people who carried out this act are not fans, they simply use the game as an excuse to cause trouble. Police were escorting the bus as it left the town when the incident happened and hopefully the perpetrators can be caught.
“We are very glad that no one was injured by the shattered window, and we can’t understand the mind-set of people who do these sort of things.”
A police spokesman said: “We are appealing for information regarding an incident which happened between 10pm and 11pm on Tuesday, in which a bus had its window broken and damage caused to the bodywork, near Cemetery Road, Wick.
“A number of people were seen running from the area after objects were reported as having been thrown at the vehicle – call 101 if you have any information.”
Coach owner George Rapson, said the damage to the vehicle is being assessed today.
He said: “One pane of the double-glazed window has been shattered and will have to be replaced.
“But I am more concerned at the damage to the bodywork as it was rocks, not stones, that hit the bus and that will be expensive to repair.
“It is a German-made vehicle, which costs £300,000 new and, although the damage is cosmetic, it is frustrating that this has been caused by these nutcases.”