A police officer was injured after trouble flared close to a Belfast interface for a second night.

Police were pelted with bricks, bottles and pieces of masonry during disturbances close to a sectarian interface in Belfast last night.

Loyalist violence over the flying of the union flag will be firmly dealt with for as long as necessary, the North’s police chief declared after a fourth night of rioting.

An SDLP councillor, her husband and infant daughter were lucky to avoid injury last night after seven shots were fired at their home.

Politicians and church leaders are holding talks in the North this afternoon in an attempt to stem loyalist street violence over the flying of the Union flag.

Police were attacked for a third night, with frontline officers reportedly coming under gunfire as fresh loyalist violence erupted in the North over the flying of the Union Flag.

The PSNI are today investigating reports that a number of shots have been fired at police lines on the Newtownards Road.

Eighteen people have been arrested after nine police officers were injured during the latest outburst of loyalist violence in the North.

Loyalist violence left a number of police officers in the North injured after they were attacked by a large crowd.

Paramilitaries were not behind overnight clashes in east Belfast which left six police officers injured, a senior officer said.

Six police officers were injured and seven people were arrested during overnight clashes in east Belfast, the PSNI said today.

Business owners were advised to stay away from their premises in East Belfast today as police dealt with a disturbance.