Man beaten and tied up by gang in North

A man was being treated in hospital in Belfast today after being beaten and tied up by a gang which forced its way into his home.

Four or five men forced their way into the house in the Newtownbreda area at around 8.30pm yesterday, attacked the man, tied him up and ransacked the house.

One of the gang, all wearing either masks of balaclavas, was believed to have been armed with a gun, said a police spokeswoman.

The men made off after the attack in a silver Mercedes and police have appealed for anyone who saw the car in the area to contact them.

The victim of the attack managed to untie himself and was he was taken to hospital where his condition was not believed to be life threatening.