Stevenston couple's car struck by plant pot dropped onto A78

Mark Hourston and his wife Amy were travelling back from Glasgow on Tuesday, December 12, evening when yobs dropped a plant pot on to their car, smashing its windscreen.

The missile was dropped from a bridge over the dual carriageway between the Warrix interchange and Eglinton interchange.

Mark explained how, at around 8.40pm, he was driving the pair under one of several bridges which runs over the busy road when he suddenly noticed what looked to be children "dropping something" from above.

A split second later, the couple heard "a crash and a smash" as wind and glass surged into their vehicle.

A plant pot had been dropped on to their car - which was travelling at around 70mph - and smashed through the windscreen on the passenger side, striking Amy on the upper side of her chest, close to her shoulder.

"If it had hit her face she would probably have been killed," Mark said.

“At one point I thought she had died. 

“I couldn’t feel her pulse after a minute – though it felt like 20 - or so before she then started to come around.”

While trying to tend to Amy, who was bleeding heavily, Mark was attempting to contact the emergency services and to move his car to a safe location.

Only hours later did he notice that shards from the shattered windscreen had also cut his own face.

On eventually reaching a nearby layby, Mark discovered several more parked vehicles - all of which had also been targeted by objects dropped from the same bridge.

“Thankfully none of them were hurt but their cars were damaged," Mark added.

Amy was admitted to hospital that night and after receiving treatment was eventually released at around 4am on Wednesday.

Mark said she has since had to return for a further check-up, and may require surgery on her hand.

In light of the couple's near death experience, Mark had a strong message for those responsible.

"It is important kids see the extent of what they are doing," he said.

"I don’t know what goes through the mind of these people.

“It is never something I would have done as a kid. There is being kids but to me that could have killed her.

“If it hit me, it could have killed us both.”

Now, he is hoping changes can be made to ensure incidents like this cannot continue - or that those responsible can be traced.

He says that these bridges running over such major and busy roads should be illuminated, and CCTV should be in place to prevent a repeat.

Police have raised concerns after incidents on the bridge previously. (Image: Police Scotland)

Police issued an appeal last year in a bid to halt a similar run of incidents in the same area.

READ MORE: Ayrshire Crime: Police appeal to stop A78 stone throwers

"Who is going to be the person who gets killed before something happens?” Mark added.

Ayrshire Weekly Press has been contacted by a second person who said the vehicle they were travelling in was also targeted on Tuesday evening.

Rhona McArdle said: "We were one of several cars hit by objects flung from a bridge on the north bound carriageway of the A78 between Warrix and Eglinton interchanges.

"We only sustained car damage but one person was not so lucky.

"This could have been a more serious incident and could have caused a fatality.

"It is totally senseless."

While Police Scotland have now confirmed that two teens have been charged in relation to the incidents.

A force spokesperson said: “Around 8.40pm on Tuesday, 12 December, we received several reports of items being thrown from a bridge onto the A78 near the Eglington roundabout in Irvine.

“Several vehicles were affected and one person was injured and required hospital treatment.

“Officers attended and following enquiries, two male youths, aged 13 and 14, have been charged in connection. A report will be sent to the Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration.”