Bullet sent to SF councillor in Co Antrim

Police in the North are investigating a death threat against a Sinn Féin councillor who discovered a bullet in a Valentine's Day card in the post this morning.

The live round was sent to Paul Butler, a member of Lisburn Council in Co Antrim. Mr Butler only moved into the house where he received the bullet two weeks ago.

He had previously applied to be included in a protection scheme because of fears for his safety.

Meanwhile, police have also revealed that the Red Hand Defenders, a cover name for the Ulster Defence Association, has issued death threats against three Catholic postal workers in Belfast.

The threats were made within the past week against two managers and a postman who work in a sorting office in the city.

Police have also warned a number of other people in the Greater Belfast area that their names and addresses were found on a computer disk seized last month in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, during investigations into the feud between rival UDA factions.