A WOLLASTON woman who set up a charity to help the homeless has spoken of her distress after her car was damaged by a brick-throwing man for the third time in two months.

The incident, which happened just before midnight on New Year's Eve, was the third of its kind to happen to Vi Wood, founder of Leslie’s Care Packages for the Homeless, at her home in Wollaston since November, and has left her shaken and upset.

CCTV footage of the incident shows a male approach Vi's car from a nearby alleyway, throw a brick at the window and then run away.

Vi spent the evening at home with her son celebrating New Year's Eve when they heard a crash outside.

They ran out the house to see the assailant had disappeared and the car window was cracked.

Vi has spoken out about the unprovoked attack and said she is struggling to understand why somebody would do it.

She said: "My question is why? I can't recall upsetting anybody. I can only think it’s a personal thing."

Vi set up Leslie's Care Packages in 2016 to provide practical support to vulnerable and homeless people in the Black Country, in tribute to her late husband, Leslie, who died in the same year.

Unsure why someone would target her car, German-born Vi said: "I don’t know if it’s got to do with Leslie's Care Packages or it is something to do with me being the only German person here."

She said the first incident happened on Bonfire Night, last November, when someone threw a brick at her car which smashed the windscreen.

A similar incident happened four weeks later, which left her with a marked windscreen.

Vi has posted the footage on social media in the hope the culprit may be found and it has led to an outpouring of support for the Wollaston-based volunteer.

One Twitter user wrote: "Why would anyone vandalise the vehicle of someone who donates food and care packages to those in need?"

Vi has reported the incident to the police who say they are currently investigating.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "Enquiries continue and anyone with information is asked to contact police via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight, call 101 anytime or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote crime reference 20DY/955Z/19."