A GOVERNMENT minister narrowly escaped serious injury after a sniper with an air rifle shot at his train as it travelled through Stockport.

Toughened glass on the high-speed Virgin train is thought to have stopped the pellet which was fired at the carriage carrying Education Secretary and deputy prime minister favourite Alan Johnson returning to London after local election duties in Manchester.

The incident was the third attack on a train in Greater Manchester yesterday, though the three are not believed to be connected.

Mr Johnson was unhurt in the rush-hour attack at Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, and police who are today appealing for help to find exactly where the shot was fired from, do not believe the minister was deliberately targeted. Virgin said that its train manager did not even know he was on board.

After arriving in London, Mr Johnson spoke of his shock when the outer skin of the double-glazed panel on the window of the tilting Pendolino train was pierced by the pellet. "I was amazed no one was hurt, he said. "I am very grateful to train staff for getting the train moving again."

Noise

He added: "I heard a loud noise that sounded like a loud crack. Then you could see there was a small round hole in the window. It looked like a bullet hole.

"It was just a seat or two behind where I was sitting. I don't suppose it was an unhappy voter!"

Catering staff told the train manager who immediately alerted British Transport Police. Officers raced to Cheadle Hulme but could find no trace of the gunman.

The driver stopped the train and guards called emergency engineers to replace the strengthened glass at the next stop at Stoke. Amazingly, Mr Johnson's train, which left Piccadilly at 4.15pm, arrived at Euston on time.

Virgin spokesman Jim Rowe said: "That is not an area we normally have much trouble with. We can tell from the damage that it was something sharper than a stone.

"The train manager did not even know Mr Johnson was on board - government ministers travel with us routinely.

"The glass is extremely tough - as was demonstrated by the recent crash in Cumbria and although we could not claim it was bullet-proof, it has certainly demonstrated on this occasion just how much protection our passengers have."

British Transport Police are appealing for information on Freefone 0800 405040 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A few miles away 24 hours earlier, a woman from Mossley was injured when a stone was thrown at the 4.27pm Victoria to Huddersfield train as it passed through Clayton Vale, one of a number of incidents there in recent weeks.

The incident is one of a number of incidents which have occurred in the Clayton Vale area in recent weeks. The area has traditionally suffered from incidents involving two opposing groups of local youths who regularly use the railway to fight each other.

And in a separate incident a train window was also smashed on Tuesday morning near to Derker station, Oldham. There were no injuries but one passenger was left extremely shaken after being showered with glass.

Injured

Chief Inspector Graham Bamford of BTP said. "If incidents such as this continue in this area it is only a matter of time before somebody is seriously injured or killed.

"Trains travel through this area at approximately 85-90mph and clearly stone throwing or leaving obstructions on the line could lead to a serious incident or injury."

BTP will be out in force in this area over the coming days, using high profile patrols and a CCTV van to combat the problems.

Ch Insp Bamford added. "BTP will robustly look to prosecute anyone caught engaging in this type of mindless vandalism and anti social behaviour."

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