London Underground passengers were left “shaken” after vandals smashed windows of several Tube trains, disrupting services at the height of last night’s rush hour.

Police were called to the line between Leyton and Stratford in east London after youths were seen throwing stones at passing Central line trains.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: “These incidents left passengers on board the trains understandably shaken. We urge those who think throwing stones and other objects at passing trains is fun to consider the consequences of their actions, which in this case could have been much worse.

“Those who throw objects at trains risk causing serious injury to passengers and staff and could face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.”

A Transport for London spokesman said: “Throwing things at trains is not only dangerous but can have serious - and sometimes fatal - consequences. This sort of behaviour also causes significant delays to train services.”