Gardaí probe burning of council vans in attack linked to water protests

Gardaí are investigating the burning of two Cork County Council water maintenance vehicles in a targeted attack which a local TD described as "sinister".

The vans, property of the local authority and used to repair leaks, were damaged in the early hours of Sunday morning as they were parked in a lock-up unit at Newtown East, just outside Bantry.

It is thought whoever carried out the attack had to scale gates to gain entry to the yard, while the two burnt-out vans were the only ones in the yard bearing any kind of livery linking them to water repair work.