A chaperone on a school bus has been handed a video camera to catch yobs on film firing an air rifle at frightened youngsters.

The move comes after an incident in which a pellet fired by a gang of youths at the bus narrowly missed disabled youngster Stuart Murgatroyd, pictured with his mum Gillian.

Six-year-old Stuart, who has cerebral palsy, was next to one of the windows that was shattered during the attack.

The coach was taking youngsters home from Wedgwood Special School in Holme Wood when the incident occurred at the junction of Manningham Lane and Oak Lane.

A group of youths, who the Council believes to be from The Challenge College on Wrose Road, surrounded the bus and fired the air rifle. Assistant education director Dennis Williams described the attack as "deplorable", and stressed that all was being done to trace the culprits.

"The pellet missed a child in a wheelchair by inches so the matter could have been very serious indeed," he said.

He said a chaperone on the bus would be given a camera to try to catch the culprits in the act. "The evening after the attack, a number of youths surrounded the bus so the Council took the decision to begin using video cameras on these journeys. This evidence has now been passed to the school which the culprits attend so they can be identified and dealt with."

Stuart's father Anthony, of Prospect Close, Windhill, said he is deeply concerned for his son's safety. "Windows and vehicles can be replaced but a child's head can't," the 35-year-old said. "It's totally disgusting. What's it coming to when children are being attacked, especially handicapped children? He can't fend for himself, he can't sit up himself or tell us if he's in pain."

Riaz Hussain's daughter, Chantelle, was also travelling on the bus. Chantelle, ten, is unable to speak and it wasn't until the next day that Mr Hussain found out what had happened.

"She didn't sleep that night, she was up until 5am. She was crying and generally unhappy, and we could tell there was something wrong," he said. Mr Hussain says he is reluctant to let his daughter travel on the bus again.

Steve Amos, deputy head at The Challenge College, said that the school had yet to confirm whether its pupils were involved in the incident, but would be meeting police today to discuss the incident.

"We've a clear expectation of the behaviour of our students and if they fall below that they must face the consequences," he said.

Mr Williams stressed that the council took attacks on buses very seriously, and that video cameras would be used to gather evidence of any further attacks.