SHOCKING footage showing the moment a pensioner's skull was fractured after a brick smashed through the window of a taxi she was travelling in has been released by Dudley Private Hire & Taxi Association.

The video, which captured the attack that happened in Birmingham on May 25, was uploaded to the association's Facebook page in a bid to highlight the dangers taxi drivers face.

The woman, who is in her 70s, was left with a face covered in blood after being hit by the brick and can be heard crying out in pain as her husband attempts to comfort her.

The driver, who managed to remain relatively calm throughout the ordeal, drove the couple straight to hospital.

Shaz Saleem, chairman of the Dudley Private Hire & Taxi Association, praised the driver for this actions and said he did "exceptionally well" under the circumstances.

He continued: "He used to work for us a couple of years ago and after the attack, he got in touch to see if we'd release the video to increase awareness.

"Incidents like this are happening on a regular basis, this is not the first time someone has been injured. In Dudley, we get people throwing eggs and stones at our vehicles and it could cause the driver to swerve and lead to an accident.

"By releasing the video, we wanted to make people aware of what can happen when they throw objects at cars, it's not a joke.

"The response we've had from the public so far has been very supportive."

Mr Saleem said he is also keen to see West Midlands Police re-establish the Dudley Taxi Watch scheme, which allowed drivers to regularly meet with officers and inform them of hotspots around the borough where they often faced difficulties.

"When we had taxi watch, the police would keep an eye on hotspots and it showed us that they were doing something to try and keep us safe, we are trying to get it set up again."

He also wants Dudley Council to introduce a policy that would give taxi drivers the option of installing CCTV in their vehicles.

Sergeant Jamie Jones, from Dudley Police, said: “We are keen to work with the Dudley Private Hire and Taxi Association and the local council on any initiative which aims to prevent such incidents and helps taxi drivers feel safer."

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Councillor Richard Body, chair of Dudley Council’s taxi committee, added: "Attacks on taxi drivers are despicable and cowardly and we do everything we can to work with the police to protect drivers.

"We also work closely with Dudley Private Hire and Hackney Taxi Associations to make sure their needs and safety are a priority and to also help protect passengers.

"We’re already consulting with drivers about the use of CCTV with a view to putting a process in place.”