Police car unable to be used after being attacked by crowd of 35

Police said the car was so badly damaged it was rendered unfit for use

A police vehicle has been so badly damaged it has been rendered unfit for use after being attacked by a crowd in Kilkeel in County Down.

Officers were responding to reports that a group of masked men were attacking a house in Carn Gardens when their car was attacked in the early hours of Monday morning.

Police have said they found windows at the address had been smashed and damage caused to the exterior of the property.

Whilst police were at the property, a crowd of about 35 people gathered and threw items at the house, set fire to the front garden, and slashed two of the police car's tyres.

The police added that the crowd, many of whom were masked, also threw paint at the police vehicle.

Ch Insp Adam Ruston said the vehicle was now "off the road" and will be "unavailable for use...for a period of time whilst repairs are carried out".

He added: "I cannot emphasise enough the foolhardiness of attacking and damaging police vehicles which are needed in order for us to be able to respond to emergencies of all kinds in the local community.

"Body worn video has been captured, and will be examined along with all available CCTV and other recorded footage," he said.

Police cars rammed

Meanwhile, police have said that four officers were injured after two of their vehicles were rammed in separate incidents over the weekend.

The first incident happened in Newry at about 00:40 BST on Saturday.

Police said a car made off from them on Brogies Road and was then driven along the Old Dublin Road and onto the A1 at speeds of over 110mph.

The vehicle, an Audi, was pursued by police who said it "continued to carry out dangerous manoeuvres" at speed on the dual carriageway.

The Audi then side-swiped the police vehicle in an apparent attempt to force it off the carriageway.

It continued at speeds of over 100mph at which point the officers in the rammed police vehicle lost sight.

The pursuit began again when it was later seen on the Flagstaff roundabout in Newry.

In efforts to avoid police, the car exited onto Chancellors Road, swerving all over the road and narrowly missing a jogger whilst heading for the A1 on slip, police said.

It then continued to travel south in the northbound lane of the A1 before performing a U-turn on the carriageway and leaving at the Bernish turn-off where the pursuit had to be terminated for public safety.

The car, which police believe may have been stolen from an address in Drogheda, was later found in Bessbrook and has been taken away for examination.

In another incident in Dungannon, also on Saturday, a white BMW failed to stop for police at about 01:00 BST.

Officers followed the vehicle for a time before losing sight of it on Tobermeson Road.

The car was then spotted by another police crew in Moy a short time later where it rammed the police vehicle, injuring the two officers inside.

Enquiries led police to an address in Maghera where the car was located and an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a number of driving offences.

He has since been released on bail.

Police said the officers involved in both incidents, "four in total, remained on duty despite sustaining injuries.

"All are being supported and are receiving the appropriate care and welfare measures from within the police service as our enquiries continue."