Woman shot as police come under fire

A woman was shot in the leg and more than 10 police officers injured during another night of rioting in Belfast, the RUC said today.

Around 30 shots were fired at security forces trying to contain more than 300 rioters in the Crumlin Road area of the city.

Scores of petrol bombs, fireworks and other missiles were hurled at police lines and four vehicles were hijacked and set on fire, a police spokesman said.

Police replied for the second night running with plastic bullets, firing eight baton rounds.

Thirteen police officers were injured - to add to the 33 injured during rioting 24 hours earlier.

One man was arrested for riotous behaviour, the spokesman added.

The trouble was centred on the junction of Cambrai Street and the Crumlin Road - the same spot from which police came under sustained gun attacks on Wednesday night.

It followed a supposedly peaceful loyalist protest on the Crumlin Road which police were forced to close to traffic.

The depth of bitterness and sectarianism in flashpoint north Belfast was as high as any time over the past 20 years, Sir Ronnie Flanagan claimed last night.

With additional police and troops drafted in to keep rival loyalist and republican

factions apart, the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary also warned of the possibility of lives being lost unless serious street disturbances ended.

‘The violence is crazy,’’ he said.

‘‘People must realise these situations can only have one outcome - the loss of life.’’