AN INJURED Ipswich mother-of-two has today spoken of the horrifying moment when she was hit by a rock which smashed through the window of a car as it travelled at 60mph.

AN INJURED Ipswich mother-of-two has today spoken of the horrifying moment when she was hit by a rock which smashed through the window of a car as it travelled at 60mph.

A shocked Claire Driver believes she is lucky to be alive after the rock shattered the window and struck her on the left shoulder, just inches below the side of her head.

The force of the impact tore fibres in her shoulder, bruised a tendon and left her amazed she didn't suffer more serious injuries.

"I'm lucky to be alive," Mrs Driver, of Quentin Close, Ipswich said.

"I was covered in glass. I took the brunt of all of it.

"I'm about 5ft 7in so if I'd been six inches shorter it would have hit me in the side of the head and I wouldn't be here."

Mrs Driver was travelling in a blue Vauxhall Nova driven by her friend Suzanne Hooley along the Bury Road slip road in Ipswich when the pair noticed a boy standing on a nearby embankment.

They were returning from a work trip to Enfield and had just exited the A14 and were just a few minutes from the Bury Road B&Q store where they work.

"As we approached we saw the lad on the embankment, he must have been about 10 or 11," Mrs Driver, a B&Q customer adviser, said.

"You're often seeing kids climbing the embankment. The next thing I knew I was screaming and covered in glass.

"My mate said the noise was just horrific. I'm so glad the panic made her grab the wheel rather than let go of it because we would have gone back into the traffic."

She added: "She thought I'd been shot because I was holding my arm, I was screaming and I was covered in glass."

Police are now investigating at least two incidents of rocks being thrown at cars on the A14 and the Bury Road slip road which could have caused serious injuries to motorists and their passengers.

The Evening Star revealed on Thursday that another three vehicles were targeted just four hours after Mrs Driver was injured at about 4pm on Monday.

On that occasion the drivers narrowly escaped injury but the vehicles sustained dents, scratches and at least one had a windscreen broken.

Mrs Driver was forced to take time off work due to the pain caused by her injury and she is calling for tougher action against rock throwers in the area.

"I've got two children. The terrifying thing is they could have been left without a mum," she said.

Ipswich police are appealing for the public's help in catching the boy who threw the rock at Mrs Hooley's car. He was seen wearing a baseball cap and with a bike at the time.

A police spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the situation and we will monitor it.

"We need to hear from people if they have any information in relation to this matter."

Anyone with information should call Pc Helen Clench at Ipswich police on 01473 613500

Weblink: www.suffolk.police.uk.

Have you had rocks thrown at your car or have you seen children hanging around near the Bury Road slip road? Write in to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.