Man gunned down in alley

Police in Northern Ireland launched a murder hunt today after the brutal shooting of a man in Co Down.

The man, believed to be in his 40s, was shot in an alleyway in Beaufort Walk on the Loyalist West Winds housing estate in Newtownards.

The ambulance service was called to the scene by someone who reported hearing up to 10 shots.

When an ambulance crew arrived minutes later the victim was already dead.

Police sealed off the area and began a detailed examination of the scene.

A police spokeswoman said they had not yet established a motive for the killing.

She said they had identified the victim but were not releasing his name until all of his next of kin had been informed.