Family targeted with pipe bomb

Jacqueline Curry and Ernest Christie came to County Antrim from Scotland

Four people including a baby have escaped injury in a pipe bomb attack on a house in Ballymoney, County Antrim.

The device exploded close to a car parked in the yard of the house at Carnany Park shortly after 0400 BST on Saturday, damaging the car and a fence.

Jacqueline Curry, her partner Ernest Christie, her 16-year-old son and 18-month-old daughter were in the house at the time.

Ms Curry said that those responsible for what is the latest attack on her home are cowards.

I feel that maybe because I am an outsider, my face doesn't fit or I don't fit into this community

Jacqueline Curry

"Ernie heard a loud bang, I followed him down stairs when I came out the back door, I saw an awful lot of mess and the back of the car was destroyed," she said.

"I feel that these people are very cowardly I don't understand why this has happened.

"For people to do this especially where children are concerned, they can't have a conscience."

The family home has been attacked by stone throwers in recent weeks and Ms Curry said she had suffered verbal abuse on the street.

"My windows were smashed a week prior to this, the back door has been damaged and I have been getting abuse in the street also," she said.

She added that the family have lived in the Carnany Park area for nine months and that she believed she was being attacked because she is originally from Scotland.

Non-sectarian

"I feel that maybe because I am an outsider, my face doesn't fit or I don't fit into this community.

"I have lived here for nine months having come from Scotland."

The family are now seeking alternative accommodation from the Housing Executive as they fear further attacks could result in serious injury to their children.

"Because of previous attacks and now what has happened this morning, I am not going to hang about for something worse to happen," Ms Curry said.

"I feel it could get worse and I am not going to take that chance not when there are two children concerned my children are my life."

About 16 homes were evacuated while army bomb experts examine the area where the device exploded.

The police said the attack was not believed to have been sectarian.