Petrol bomb family escape injury

A young family escaped injury today after a petrol bomb was thrown at their house, police said.

A man, a woman and three young children aged five, two and eight weeks had to be evacuated from the house in Greenville Road, Magherafelt, Belfast, when the bomb was thrown at the rear of the property at 4.15am, setting a kitchen window and blinds alight.

The alarm was raised when the mother heard the noise of breaking glass and her partner went to investigate.

Police said they were keeping an open mind about the motive for the attack, but stressed it was not thought to be sectarian.