Magherafelt: Orange hall arson was hate crime

More than 20 firefighters dealt with the fire

A fire which badly damaged an Orange hall in County Londonderry on Sunday was an arson attack, police have said.

The fire and rescue service was called to Ballynougher Orange Hall on Aghagaskin Road, near Magherafelt, at about 17:00 GMT.

Twenty-nine firefighters were involved in the three-hour operation.

Police said the incident was being treated as a hate crime and that those responsible forced their way in through the rear of the property.

Det Sgt Brian Reid said an accelerant was used to start the fire which left the building "extensively damaged".

"I would appeal to anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the Aghagaskin Road area on Sunday, or who captured dash-cam footage from the area which could assist us with our investigation, to contact detectives at Cookstown," he said.

The Orange Order said it was a "despicable act" and the "latest in a long line of such incidents against the Orange community in recent years".

"The Orange community in this area will not be intimidated by the actions of those determined to raise tensions and cause community division," a spokesman added.

"We would however appeal that there should be no retaliation since such a response would be wrong and entirely counterproductive."

Democratic Unionist Party assembly member Gordon Lyons said it was an "horrendous" attack.

"We need to see political leadership from other parties. There needs to be condemnation of this," he told BBC's Good Morning Ulster.

Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy said the attack on the hall was a "disgraceful attack" that had "no place in society at all".