Priest held hostage in Belfast

A priest has been left shaken after being held hostage at gunpoint in west Belfast.

Two men locked the cleric in a room in St Peter's Cathedral in Divis during an aggravated burglary last night.

The victim only managed to escape and call police around 10am this morning.

Down and Connor diosese spokesman, Father Eddie McGee says it's very disturbing and concerning: "The diocese has measures in place that large sums of money are not kept on parish grounds.

"We are very conscious that priests are very vulnerable due to the nature of their work and their pastoral outreach and availability to the public and that makes them particular vulnerable to such attacks."