Yobs have been hurling rocks at workers rebuilding the Dover to Folkestone railway line, missing them by inches.

Now, an outraged MP has warned someone could have been killed and wants anyone with information to contact police.

The louts, high up on a footpath on Shakespeare Cliff, Dover, targeted staff last night. Rocks were also thrown on Friday evening.

Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke said: “The rocks missed site workers by inches and if they hit anyone, they could have been killed or at the very least have been seriously injured.

“I appeal to anyone who may know who these yobs are to come forward and to parents to talk to their children about the dangers of this kind of behaviour.”

Network Rail’s programme manager Steve Kilby said: “The consequences of a serious injury or fatality as a result of someone being hit by one of these stones would be enormous.

"We are taking action to put our own 24/7 security and lighting at the top of the cliff.”

The attacks have marred a significant milestone by workers toiling to reopen the line after it was closed by storm damage last December.

They have built the first section of a new viaduct on the Dover sea wall.

Mr Elphicke added: “I’ve been massively impressed by the hard work and dedication of the team, who worked tirelessly to rebuild our railway and we need to support them in any way we can and do our bit to help keep them safe.”

"The rocks missed site workers by inches and if they hit anyone, they could have been killed or at the very least have been seriously injured" - Charlie Elphicke MP

More than 500 cubic metres of concrete was poured into place over the weekend, in a 15 hour continuous operation involving a fleet of 13 concrete vehicles from Kent supplier Brett concrete, using their plants at Dover and Ramsgate.

That’s almost enough concrete to fill Dover Leisure Centre’s swimming pool twice over.

Steve Kilby added: “This was a serious feat of organisation and we knew that once we started to pour the concrete, we couldn’t stop until the whole pour was completed.

"That way we knew the deck would be one consistent slab with no joins.

“I’d like to pay tribute to our contractor Costain and concrete supplier Brett Concrete for their work this weekend. We’ve now got to do it three more times before the viaduct structure is complete.”

The concrete pouring started at 8pm on Saturday and finished soon after 11am on Sunday.

Chris Chapman, managing director of Brett Concrete, said: “This was a challenging pour and our plants and drivers worked around the clock to deliver a quality product at the right time.

"We have had a great working relationship with both Costain and Network Rail since the planning started on these pours three months ago.”

The railway along the beach at Dover has been out of action since last Christmas.

A bus replacement service has had to be used by train passengers going between Dover and Folkestone and the line is expected to stay shut until December.

Network Rail is creating a new, 235m long viaduct that will sit on 134 piles – steel and concrete columns – of which more than 100 have been completed so far.

Anyone with information on the rock throwing incidents is asked to call police on 01843 222289, quoting crime reference number 21-040.