POLICE are investigating after cars were attacked with apples in Coventry.

Extra patrols have been launched after drivers were bombarded with fruit in the Radford Road area.

It is believed mindless pranksters are deliberately throwing apples at passing cars as a joke.

Police have warned the culprits to stop before they cause an accident and added that anyone caught will face prosecution.

Residents and motorists believe youngsters are carrying out ‘‘copycat attacks’’ following reports of 100 apples appearing to fall from the sky in the city.

Keresley Parish councillor Allan Owens described how his car was pelted with large apples.

He was driving along Radford Road, at the junction of Brownshill Green Road, last Tuesday at about 8pm.

His wife and child were also in the car and he contacted the police because he feared for other motorists’ safety.

He told the Telegraph: “My only explanation would be pranksters lying in wait for passing cars to attack but the sheer number of apples involved was bizarre.

“I informed the police immediately to prevent an incident caused by people being distracted whilst driving.’’

Over a three day period, the police received a number of calls from concerned motorists after their cars were hit by large numbers of apples in Radford Road.

Earlier this month residents described 100 apples raining down from the sky in nearby Keresley Road.

The bizarre incident happened in the evening on Monday December 12.

One theory is that this was caused by a vortex sparked by freak weather conditions.

It was said that a combination of rain and wind created a vacuum which could have whipped up the apples and dumped them on the road from up to 100 miles away.

Coventry Police warned that it is a crime to deliberately throw items onto a road and if anyone is caught they will be prosecuted under the Road Traffic Act.

A Coventry Police spokesman said they had received reports of apples being thrown in Radford Road. They say anyone caught throwing apples will be prosecuted.

***Have you been affected? If so, call reporter Cara Simpson on 024 7650 0315.