COMMUNITY bosses last night urged parents to crack down on young vandals targeting buses driving through a Southampton estate.

They want mums and dads to take greater control of youngsters on the estate who have so far targeted ten buses in ten days.

The call comes as council bosses prepare to meet police and bus operators to get tough on the trouble makers.

Yesterday the Daily Echo revealed how services were suspended in Millbrook on Saturday nightwhen a Bluestar bus was pelted with bricks and stones, shattering a window.

And some community chiefs on the estate fear that if the violence continues buses may eventually be pulled from Millbrook altogether if the violence continues.

Councillors, police and bus operators will meet later this week to discuss the issue.

“Sometimes children don’t understand the impact of what they’re doing so it’s up to the parents to take responsibility for them,” said Cllr Andrew Pope.

“This type of behaviour by a nuisance minority is unacceptable, and will be dealt with,” he added.

And Mo Simmons, 72, block representative for Millbrook Towers, said: “Why should people lose their services because of vandals?

It disrupts people going to work.

“It’s shocking. These families should take responsibility for their children – the parents should pay for the damage.”

Last week an 11-year-old boy was arrested and questioned by police after a number of attacks and then this weekend another Bluestar bus came under fire.

Company operations manager Paul Coyne said: “Our wish is to provide a service to the Millbrook Estate, but to do that we have to make sure there’s a safe environment for our customers and staff.

“The people who are losing out are our customers and we don’t want to disadvantage them.”

And a spokeswoman for First Hampshire & Dorset confirmed that the company had also had problems.

She said: “Incidents like these can be dangerous and if a member of the public were to be caught up in one – being hit by one of the objects thrown – it could cause significant injury.”

Police last night appealed for witnesses to come forward to help find the yobs behind the attacks.

A spokesman said: “This seems to be mindless acts of vandalism by youths throwing stones or similar items at the buses and breaking windows, which sometimes then shatter.”

Anyone with information should contact the Shirley Safer Neighbourhoods team on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.