Tar thrown over women in house attack

Two women were covered in tar by thugs who broke into their home in Northern Ireland, police revealed today.

Three hooded men smashed the front windows on the house at Hopewell Crescent in west Belfast last night.

The raiders threw a jar containing tar over their victims and issued threats, police said.

One of the women claimed the men told them they had 12 hours to get out.

Three children upstairs during the attack just before 7pm were unhurt.

The gang escaped in the direction of the loyalist Shankill estate.

Police said they were still trying to establish a motive.