Young mother has nightmares after doorstep abuse

An incident in which two men attacked a home in Northern Ireland and shouted derogatory slurs has caused nightmares, a young mother has told the BBC.

Danielle Skelton moved into a largely-Protestant area of Lurgan in County Armagh after being offered social housing.

But she said the police advised her to leave after the incident, which was recorded on a doorbell camera.

Warning: Contains language some people may find offensive

Speaking about what happened, she said: "I saw the door shake and with shock I ran into my bedroom."

The doorbell camera captured footage of the men shouting "Fenian" and "taig", both derogatory terms referring to Catholics.

When police arrived she gave them the doorbell footage but said she could barely look at the video herself.

"I just felt sick. I couldn't watch it. I just didn't understand," she explained.

"I put thousands into that home. I made it a proper home for me and my son.

Danielle Skelton says she has had sleepless nights since the incident

"The police told me they couldn't stand and protect me all night. They advised me to get a bag and go.

"Since then I'm not sleeping well at night, I'm having nightmares."

After weeks sleeping on sofas, Danielle said she has now been found alternative accommodation in a different area.

Two brothers, Adrian and Alastair Douglas, have been charged with criminal damage and intimidation after the incident at the end of April.

Leaving court, they were asked on camera whether they regretted the incident or had anything to say to Danielle but they declined to give an answer.

They are due to appear in court again next month.

'Must not take our eyes off this'

Housing segregation largely arose during the Troubles, the decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland, but a quarter of a century on it is still proving slow to change.

About 80% of social housing in Northern Ireland remains largely segregated along religious lines.

Neither brother commented to the BBC when asked about the incident outside court

In some places the continuing presence of "peace walls", which physically separate mainly Catholic and mainly Protestant areas, are a tangible reminder of Northern Ireland's past.

The head of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the region's housing authority, told the BBC that alleged incidents of housing intimidation have greatly reduced.

However Grainia Long said more needs to be done to increase the availability of housing in mixed areas.

"Over the last 17 years 70 housing estates have been built entirely with a focus on sharing and shared housing," she said.

"So we have seen significant progress made, and significant progress made where communities themselves choose to share.

"But we're not there yet and we must not take our eyes off this.

"It has to continue to be a significant area of focus if we are to see a truly shared Northern Ireland in future."