A GWENT man and a teenager put the safety of hundreds of rail passengers at risk when they recklessly shone a blinding laser light into train drivers' eyes.

And they caused rail chaos last year while the drivers were treated at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital for blurred vision and sore eyes following the incident - and two mainline trains had to be cancelled.

Phillip Pearse, aged 20, of The Moors, Rogiet, Caldicot, and a 16-year-old youth who cannot be named shone the laser lights into the eyes of two train drivers, Michael Jonah and Timothy Reiffer, at Newport station, Cardiff crown court heard yesterday.

The pair both pleaded guilty to two charges of endangering the safety of railway passengers during the incident at Newport railway station on December 20 last year.

As a result the 16.30 Swansea to Paddington First Great Western train and 21.44 Crewe to Cardiff Wales and Borders train had to be cancelled. Passengers had to be transferred to other transport.

Leighton Hughes, prosecuting, told the court yesterday the defendants were on the station platform and each had a laser light.

Mr Hughes said it was accepted the pair had been reckless in their behaviour.

The laser lights were identified by a forensic scientist as "class 3R optical hazard".

Both will be sentenced on June 20, but today the rail companies involved and the British Transport Police hit out at the pair's behaviour.

Elaine Wilde, public relations manager for First Great Western, said: "The driver could have a full train of passengers, 460 people, and he's got something shining in his eyes.

"He may have to make an emergency stop, and what if he doesn't see any warning signals? There are potential risks to the customers.

"We're glad a prosecution took place. These laser pens cause temporary blindness and, in the worst case, permanent damage.

"People don't see the consequences of their actions when doing things like this, and drivers should not have to put up with it."

A spokeswoman for Wales and Borders said: "We condemn any act of violence on our trains or at our stations.

"This was a particularly vicious attack which not only resulted in distress to our staff but also inconvenience for our customers, which we will not tolerate."

Sergeant Ian Parnell, of British Transport Police, said: "Anything that distracts the driver puts passenger safety at risk. Drivers constantly have to look out for lights and signals. But it's dangerous to distract him wherever he is, even in the station."

And Sergeant Parnell warned others from committing a similar offence, saying: "Just don't do it. It's dangerous."