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I heard on the news this morning of the Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow that had to turn back after the co-pilot needed medical attention following an incident where he was momentarily blinded by a laser being beamed from the ground shortly after take off. Why don't they ban the sale and buying of these bloody dangerous 'toys' altogether and prosecute anyone in possession of them? I realise they have probably one, single, legitimate use as pointers during a presentation, but they could get around that by requiring such users to be licenced to use them. Last year I suffered such an attack myself along Hirst Villas by a few of our young thugs standing outside the Pantry shop in St. Cuthbert's Terrace. I was pulling out of Hirst Head, a good distance away, and was blinded by a green laser pen. It was actually painful and I suffered a headache for a while after. I raced down to confront (ie. clip) the thugs but they ran off. I have since seen many incidents of these devices being misused in and around Bedlington. Only last night I overtook two such idiots on bikes shining the damn things all over the place as they were cycling along Ridge Terrace/ North Ridge.. The temptation to run them over was overwhelming, but I kept my cool ..... this time! This has to stop before there is a death.