Dog stabbed to death in house raid

A pet dog was stabbed to death preventing a robbery at its owners’ home outside Belfast early today.

The mongrel was found lying in the hall of the apartment at Fairview Road in the Ballyduff area of Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, when its owner returned home at around 1.30am.

Police said the flat had been broken into but nothing appeared to have been taken.

Meanwhile, a 22-year-old man was stabbed and seriously injured in a Chinese take-away in West Belfast’s Whiterock Road area.

Police said he was stabbed in the back by at least one person believed to be part of a group of eight to ten youths in the premises.

Detectives appealed for members of the group to contact them to be eliminated from inquiries, also for a couple waiting for a take-away to come forward.

The injured man is in a serious but stable condition in hospital, said police.