A shocked grandmother says she is lucky to be alive after a young boy threw a brick at her car’s windscreen as she drove along a main road.

Yvonne Bryce, 63, was driving home on the Old Thanet Way when the boy – thought to be no older than 10 – hurled the object at her car and smashed the window.

Mrs Bryce says she now fears for the safety of other road users after the incident, which occurred near the Greenhill roundabout at about 5pm.

The charity care worker said: “I was lucky – it could have been a lot worse and I’m hoping they find the lad.

“I found a place to stop and the police said I was lucky because it could have been fatal" - Mrs Bryce

“This boy was on the grass verge and looked about nine years old.

“He looked poised to run out across the road and I slowed down thinking he would run across me – then he lobbed a massive brick at the car windscreen.

“He was only a little lad but it smashed my windscreen.

“It was a natural reaction to slow down but it was the worst thing I could do.

“I found a place to stop and the police said I was lucky because it could have been fatal.

“I am in so much shock and it’s also an inconvenience. I need my car to get to work.”

The object hit the windscreen’s passenger side, but Mrs Bryce, of Maydowns Road, Chestfield, managed to remain in control before pulling over in a lay-by.

The grandmother-of-two, who was travelling home after an X-ray appointment in Herne Bay, called the police and now hopes the boy will be found.

She added: “If I had a passenger it would have been nasty. I was upset about it and shaken up.

“I was lucky to keep going – an old person could have swerved into the road and caused an accident.

"You hear about these things when children stand on bridges and throw things and when it does happen it’s dangerous.

"He needs catching, this boy, as it’s a criminal offence – he could do it again. I’m still suffering a bit of shock from it and I didn’t sleep during the night thinking about it.”

Mrs Bryce, who works for the Canterbury Oast Trust, could not get to work on Tuesday and will now have to pay a £75 excess for a new windscreen for her grey MG ZR.

Police spokesman Scarlet Jones said: “Police are investigating a report of criminal damage caused to the windscreen of a moving car near the Greenhill roundabout on the Old Thanet Way in Herne Bay.

“It is reported the incident took place just before 5pm on Monday, April 13.”