Police have arrested around a dozen youths in connection with incidents that started when cars were pelted with snowballs during Tuesday’s cold weather.

A 51-year-old man in Velserbroek was beaten unconscious after he got out of his car to remonstrate with a group of eight youths who targeted his car at around 9pm. He was taken to hospital suffering from serious injuries, police said.

A 24-year-old man in Vught, Noord-Brabant, was attacked after his car was hit by a ball of ice, police said, while in Beverwijk a 29-year-old man was punched in the face by youths who had thrown snowballs at his car. One suspect has been arrested.

Omroep West reported that a driver in Zoetermeer had his windscreen smashed by a snowball thrown from a bridge over the Amerikaweg. Police believe the ball may have contained ice or stones. The driver was unhurt.