Bus hijacked as violence erupts in North

Rioting erupted in the North last night with a bus hijacked and petrol bombs thrown at police.

Officers were last night dealing with “serious public disorder” in Ballyclare, Co Antrim after loyalists put up illegal flags and police removed them.

A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: “At around 11.30pm, 70 to 100 people became involved in throwing petrol bombs and missiles at police."

The police fired a number of plastic baton rounds, and it is believed people were struck, but none of the injuries have been reported.

Water cannon was also used.

As calm was restored in Ballyclare, loyalist violence erupted in other parts of Co Antrim.

A number of vehicles were hijacked and burned in the Ballyduff area of Newtownabbey, and in Carrickfergus.

Meanwhile shots were fired at a Catholic family's home in Coleraine, Co Derry overnight.

SDLP Assembly member John Dallat said the attack in the Newmills Road area could have resulted in murder.