Cause of broken window

[annominous]

I would be interested to know if anyone has any suggestions of how a ground floor window in my home has come to be broken
There is a 20cm diagonal crack across the bottom corner with a hole about 2.5cm in the centre. On the inside the hole is hollowed out like a crater but on the outside there is just a tiny horizontal slit about 6mm There is also a crack about 6cm going through the hole in the opposite direction to the larger one There are small slivers of glass on the inside one about 4.5 metres from the window I have found no projectile either inside or outside of the house
Any suggestions would be gratefully received
A

[Old_Geezer]

That bird must've been going at a heck of a lick !

[annominous]

Many thanks for your interesting reply, OG.
i had thought of that as I have had bird imprints on my windows regularly and the gates were all closed but I would have expected to see a little feathered corpse beneath the window on this occasion However I hope you are right and the bird has made a full recovery
Thanks again
A

[Ratty2E]

Maybe the little feathered corpse was removed by a feline undertaker

[annominous]

Of course, why didn't I think of that. . Isn't nature wonderful!
Ta, Rara.

[Wak]

My mind immediately went to some stupid idiot with a catapult using pebbles/stones as ammunition which you would never identify in a garden.
I doubt if a bird would have the weight or velocity to send a sliver of glass 4.5 metres into the room.
Still, you never know!

[Twirls]

In my last house we used to have problems with the windows in our conservatory where the smaller windows used to suddenly crack / shatter if it got too hot / cold because the inner part of the window was a different tolerance level to the outer part and the frame got out of kilter. Could it be something like that?

[Cowtipper]

Lawn mower?

[annominous]

Wak,Twirls and Cowtipper,
Many thanks for your replies.
All good suggestions.
I don't think it was a difference in temperatures that caused the problem,Twirls, as it was a large window pane.
I think Cowtipper's lawnmower is the most likely answer but could a red whin chip or stone travel about 8 metres and over a 1'5 metre high hedge to cause this impact and then bounce back without going through the window?
I was also interested in your answer Wak, but could the stupid idiot have been using an air rifle. Would a pellet bounce off or would it pierce the glass? Never had this problem before but there's always a first time.
Thanks again to all.
A

[Graham-W]

From your description my first reaction was air gun. At the right range the pellet could indeed do the damage described and bounce back without entering the room.

[annominous]

Hi Graham
What would that range be? And how far back would the pellet fall?
A

[Graham-W]

Sorry annominous. Too many variables. Power of rifle, .177 or .22, direct hit or ricochet.

[annominous]

Thanks for your expert advice,Graham.

Sorry to keep on but could it have been fired from less than 7 metres or even point blank. Don't think it could have ricocheted as there are no hard surfaces opposite
A.

[whiskeryron]

Sounds like a job for Johnathan Creek.Ron.

[annominous]

Possibly, but I'll stick with Graham.

He sounds as though he knows what he's talking about.

Thanks anyway, Ron

[Graham-W]

A .22 air-rifle at <7m would probably go straight through. A .177 at <7m may cause the damage and bounce off a good distance. A .177 air pistol could fit the bill at <7m but as others have said, a stone from a lawn mower could indeed be the culprit.

[annominous]

Thanks again,Graham.
Not sure whether to buy steel blinds, suit of armour .........or a 'For Sale' sign

Thanks also to all who answered and a Happy Easter to all.

Ann