PSNI probe fires in Belfast street

Detectives are investigating a series of fires at homes in a west Belfast street tonight, three days after a man was murdered.

Two separate blazes were started at one property on Whitecliff Parade on the Ballymurphy estate within a five-hour period. A further two properties on the street were also targeted.

Father-of-six Gerard Devlin was stabbed to death as he picked up his children on Friday afternoon.

The fires followed petrol bomb attacks on two houses in the Catholic estate last night and two attacks in the nearby Dermot Hill area on Saturday.

The PSNI said all the incidents were being treated as arson.

All are thought to be linked to a bitter six-year feud between two families which resulted in Mr Devlin leaving the estate shortly before his death.

He was killed after returning to the area to collect his children.

Police said a house on Whitecliff Parade was targeted twice today, despite also being singled out by arsonists last night.

A nearby property was damaged in the second incident which happened around 7.30pm.

Local youths attacked police are firefighters who arrived on the scene with stones and missiles.

The fourth blaze of the day was reported at 9.45pm.

Mr Devlin had left the area following the dispute and had been building a new home for his family in the Co Antrim village of Glenavy.

Two other members of his family were also injured when they intervened during the attack on Friday night.