A BABY was showered with glass and three motorists were attacked when an orgy of violence erupted in the street.
Two men, aged 24 and 22, from the Shotton and Haswell areas, have been arrested by detectives in connection with the assault.
It started when a minibus-style taxi had a bottle thrown through its window as it drove by with two elderly passengers in the back.
The driver stopped to call 999, but was approached by two men.
They chased him around his taxi before knocking him to the ground, where he was stamped on and kicked in the head.
The stricken victim tried to flag down passing motorists for help.
One driver stopped but was punched in the face, leaving him with cuts to his nose and broken glasses.
Another passing driver stopped after almost hitting one of the attackers in the road, but was punched and the car door slammed against his leg as he desperately tried to get back inside.
A family driving by were also drawn into the violence when a man punched out the back window of their VW Passat. Smashed glass hit their baby, but it escaped injury.
The 55-year-old taxi driver needed hospital treatment for cuts and bruises suffered in the unprovoked attack, which happened in Bridge Road, in the Salter's Lane area of Shotton Colliery.
His passengers were not injured, but were shocked by their ordeal.
Other victims were treated at the scene by paramedics.
Police are appealing for witnesses, as a number of cars stopped or drove by the incident, which happened at about 3.10pm on Wednesday this week.
Anyone with information should call Det Con Neil Robinson or Det Con Barry Johnson at Peterlee CID on 0845 606 0365, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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