A SHOCKING act of sabotage could have ended in tragedy for passengers on Harting's community bus, police said this week.

Mindless hooligans sliced through the brake pipe of the bus, which is mainly used by elderly people for shopping in the Petersfield area.

Now a massive effort has been launched to find the culprits. Volunteer driver Doug Outram told The Herald how the act of "mindless vandalism" could have resulted in a fatal accident.

He said he was shaken and furious when he realised that the brake pipes had been deliberately cut.

Mr Outram said: "It could have been a disastrous situation if the bus was full of passengers and we were on the open road. It doesn't bear thinking about.

"It makes me sick to think of the people who did this. How could someone stoop so low? I can't think of anything more senseless."

Mr Outram set off for a trip to Chichester on Tuesday and realised the brakes were not working when he approached a red light.

He managed to bring the bus to a halt with the handbrake and got the vehicle safely back to the car park.

He said: "When I got out of the bus at the community hall car park I was extremely shaken.

"I have no idea why anyone would want to damage the bus. I think it was just the bloody-mindedness of people with nothing better to do."

Midhurst police said the act of vandalism could have resulted in a very serious accident.

Pc Ray Hawkins said: "If the driver did not see the warning light and got up to some speed, he could have had a big problem. We could have been dealing with a much more serious incident.

"The brake pipe was cut on one side, possibly with a knife, and there was fluid on the car park. We have retained the pipe to test for forensic evidence.

"But at the moment we have no motive, no suspects and no leads to go on. We have had no luck from door-to-door interviews carried out since the crime was reported."

The Harting minibus service has been running for 28 years and the Mercedes-Benz that was damaged is the fourth vehicle it has run.

The bus is owned by Harting Parish Council and the Mercedes-Benz, bought in 1996, was funded by a 50 per cent grant from West Sussex County Council, with the rest of the money raised by the minibus committee.

The service, which is run by volunteers, is offered to people of all ages in the village who can take advantage of regular trips to places like Chichester and Petersfield. It is totally financed by the fares and a tote run in the village.

This is not the first time that the minibus has been vandalised.

Mr Outram said: "It has been vandalised before by people who have broken the mirrors. It sits in the open in the car park.

"It is a popular service and the bus can hold up to 16 people on any one trip. I would say the average is about 10.

"If I had picked up this many people and set off for a drive with the brakes not working, there could have been a very bad accident. I don't even want to think about it."

Posters have now been circulated throughout the village by the chairman of the Harting Minibus Management Board, Roger Holmes. He is urging people to contact police with any information.

Anyone who can help Midhurst Police can contact officers on 0845 6070999.