Newtownards and Bangor: Police at scene of attacks on homes

The attacks are believed to be linked to a loyalist feud

Police are at the scene of attacks on three properties in Bangor and Newtownards in County Down.

Detectives said a house in Bangor as well as a property and a block of flats in Newtownards were attacked.

Scorch marks could be seen in the upstairs window of the property in Ballyferris Walk in Bangor.

There have been a series of attacks in recent days, believed to be linked to a feud between factions of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA).

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said officers were called at 21:20 BST on Tuesday to a petrol bomb attack on the house in Ballyferris Walk.

Officers then received a report about 10 minutes later of damage being caused to a property in Glenbrook Road in Newtownards.

Supt Johnston McDowell said it was reported that at least two men threw a brick through the front window and poured petrol onto the driveway.

At 21:40 there was a petrol bomb attack at a block of flats in Wallace Place in Newtownards.

"These incidents are linked to an ongoing feud between two rival drug gangs and police are following a number of lines of enquiry," Supt McDowell said,

"Thankfully, no injuries were reported on Tuesday evening.

"I would also like to extend my thanks to our colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service who attended.

On Monday police said eight other houses had been attacked since last Wednesday, many of which were occupied.

Officers said those attacks were linked to an ongoing feud between "two rival drug gangs operating under the banner of the Ulster Defence Association in the North Down and Ards areas".

The UDA was formed during the Troubles but began to splinter into criminal gangs once the conflict ended.

Among the earlier attacks was an incident on Saturday when a number of windows were broken and extensive damage was caused to the front of a property in Dicksonia Drive, Newtownards.

In Bangor, a petrol bomb was thrown at a house in Skipperstone Road on Saturday.

A number of windows were broken and scorch damage was caused to the property during the attack. Three people who were in the house at the time were uninjured.