Stone-throwing vandals have forced an Eastbourne bus service off the road amid fears for passengers' safety.

Evening services in the Langney area have been withdrawn for a week.

Passengers on a bus in Langney Rise were showered in glass after youths threw stones and broke a window last week.

Bus company officials said they were not prepared to put staff and passengers at risk.

Several services were stopped yesterday evening and the curfew is expected to go until the end of the week, when the situation will be reviewed.

A spokesman for Eastbourne Buses said the company's vehicles seemed to have become a target for vandals in the area over the last week.

She said: "There were five incidents of stones being thrown at the buses and it does just seem to be in the Langney area.

"The services have to be withdrawn on the grounds of safety. It would be questionable why the services were kept running if someone got hurt."

Services would be withdrawn again if the problem persisted, she warned.

Eastbourne police spokesman Mark Hazelby confirmed police had received reports of stones being thrown at buses and pledged the problem would be treated very seriously.

The bus services affected are the 11, 11A, 15 and 15A.

The last service from the town centre to Langney will be at 6.30pm.

For more information about services contact Eastbourne Buses on 01323 416416 or visit the web site on www.eastbournebuses.co.uk Anyone with any information about the vandalism is asked to contact Eastbourne police on 0845 6070999.