AN INVESTIGATION is underway after shards of glass fell on pedestrians in Hounslow High Street.

A woman and two children were left bloodied and in shock when the large sections of glass fell on them from a window above the former HMV shop.

Police and paramedics were called to the incident at 211-213 High Street shortly after 1.56pm on Thursday last week. Police cordoned off the part of the High Street affected and the surrounding area for around two and a half hours.

Paramedics tended to a 40-year-old woman who had cuts to her face and arms, a nine-year-old boy with a cut to his head, and an eight-year-old girl with cuts to her left forearm and to her left eye. They were taken to the West Middlesex Hospital and have since been discharged.

The matter is now being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive.

Stephen Wrightson, a homeless man, was sitting across the road from the scene of the incident when it happened.

He said: "I didn't see anything at first, I heard it. I was just sitting down here when I heard this almighty smash. Then I heard screaming, particularly the sound of children screaming. There were a few people milling around so I got up and thought I would have a look to see what was happening.

"I think there was a woman with two children, and they all had very bloody faces. There was a lot of blood everywhere actually. I saw a guy take control of the situation and suggest that someone got some paper towels or something. I was going to run into KFC and get some, but paper towels arrived before I had the chance."

A member of staff at The Optical Shop, which is also opposite the scene, said: "I heard it all from inside the shop, people went rushing over there. I have never heard of anything like that happening here before."

Paul McGuinness was also there at the time, and said he had a close shave. He added: "We had just walked past the old HMV shop and had made it to WHSmith when we heard the noise of the glass breaking and the children screaming. It was quite scary as it only five seconds earlier that would have fallen on myself and my colleague."