'IDIOTIC' youngsters have been putting lives at risk by hurling snowballs at passing cars and buses in Chester.

Cheshire Police received numerous calls between Sunday and Tuesday after snow fell on the city and temperatures plunged below zero.

Officers are now urging parents to ensure they know where their children are at all times and to educate them about the dangers of creating hazards on the roads.

The city's police team took to social media on Tuesday (December 12) to inform people that a snowball had cracked one motorist's windscreen.

They tweeted: “Last night, youths smashed a passing car windscreen by throwing snowballs at it. Tonight it’s happening again! Please be respectful - such behaviour is dangerous and idiotic. It could seriously injure someone.Do you know what your children are doing?”

Blacon has been a trouble spot with a school bus targeted and also one motorist complaining of an “ice-ball” thrown as her windscreen near the Arches Community Primary School on Saughall Road.

Another woman reported seeing one motorist briefly lose control of his car after being pelted by snowballs near Westminster Park.

Police originally posted a warning on Facebook and Twitter on Sunday (December 10), saying: “Sad that we have to post this. Police are getting numerous reports of kids throwing snowballs at people, cars and houses which has resulted in injuries and smashed windows.

“Do you know what your kids are up too? Please enjoy the snow responsibility.”

It was met with a flurry of comments from residents, with many recounting experiences of cars being pelted with snowballs.

One woman said: “I've just had an ice-ball thrown at my windscreen! The idiots are standing back out of sight at the bridge near The Arches School; they're not that big and clever when you get out of the car though.”

She added: “If you know it's happening why isn't something being done? Has it got to take someone crashing before anything happens?”

Another woman added: “It also happened Sunday evening in Saltney entrance to Westminster park; hit my ex's car. After, he regained control of his car but what if he hadn't?”

People pointed out it would be impossible for police officers to monitor all roads to catch snowball throwers in the act.

A third resident said: “I’m all for children having fun, at the end of the day they are children. But it can go a bit too far, when fun becomes being completely idiotic and endangers peoples lives. One swerve from a car and it could turn into a lot worse than a cracked screen!”

Some suggested the police were overreacting saying children should be allowed to have fun and snowballs rarely smash windows.

One man said: “Our local bobby on his push bike many years ago used to have snowball fights with the us all. What has this country come to where children can’t enjoy a bit of fun in the snow? Very sad.”

But another added: “Saw two police officers having a snowball fight with local kids last night in Blacon. It was great to see to be honest.”