TRANSPORT police are urgently looking for a teenage boy who was seen throwing a bike at a high speed train in Yate.

No-one was injured in the incident, at Yate Train Station on Sunday, but British Transport Police said the consequences of throwing a bike at a 100mph train could have been far worse.

Sgt Cliff Parker said: "This was a mindless act of vandalism which could have caused injuries or worse. Thankfully, on this occasion the train remained upright, on the tracks and no one was injured.

"Although this may seem like fun to those who commit such offences, what they don’t realise are the potentially serious consequences of their extremely foolish behaviour."

The incident, which was reported at 7.13pm on Sunday (February 19), was witnessed by a number of passengers who were at the station at the time. They reported seeing a youth throw a red and silver mountain bike on to the tracks before cycling away on another bike just moments before an Exeter St David’s to Leeds express train struck the bike.

The train suffered damage to its air pipes and the incident led to a number of other services being diverted, causing delays and inconvenience to passengers.

Said Sgt Parker: "We urgently need to identify and speak to the teenage boy who was seen throwing the bike onto the tracks. He is described as white, aged about 15 or 16, and was wearing a grey hooded top and a grey tracksuit.

"Additionally, you may know someone who owned a red and silver-coloured Apollo FS 26 mountain bike and who now no longer has that bike. If that is the case, I’d also urge you to come forward."

Yate town councillor Sue Walker, chairman of the Friends of Yate Station, said she was hugely disappointed by the incident.

"We have seen a lot of improvements at the station recently, including CCTV which was installed in the last few months, so it is very disappointing that someone has behaved in such a stupid and irresponsible way.

"We haven’t had many incidents of vandalism at the station recently which makes the fact someone has endangered life there even worse."

Transport police are due to hold an informal meeting with youngsters in the town in a pre-arranged meeting to discuss train station safety and a number of community schemes to improve facilities in Yate.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 40 50 40 quoting B4/WWA of 21/02/2012 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.