House bombed as loyalist feud escalates

A man and woman escaped injury in a bomb attack early today as loyalists escalated their feud.

The latest incident happened in the Beech End area of Holywood, Co Down, in the early hours of the morning.

Police officers investigating the incident found the front door of the flat and its porch damaged in the blast. The roof tiles of a neighbouring flat were also damaged.

The occupants were in the flat at the time of the attack but were uninjured.

Meanwhile, a nail bomb was discovered at the back of an empty house in the Ballybeen estate in the outskirts of east Belfast. Shots had been fired at the same house in Longstone Drive at the weekend.

The latest incidents followed a blast bomb attack on a house at London Road in east Belfast. Nobody was hurt but considerable damage was caused to the house.

Meanwhile, detectives investigating the murder of leading Loyalist Volunteer Force member Brian Stewart were revisiting the scene where he was shot dead exactly a week ago.

Stewart, whose funeral took place yesterday, was gunned down on his way to work at a plumbing firm in Belfast. His murder was blamed on the rival Ulster Volunteer Force.