Woman hit with hammer in robbery

The girl was attacked at the garage on the Dundrum Road

A shop assistant has been struck on the head with a claw hammer during an attempted robbery in County Down.

The incident happened at about 2250 BST on Friday at a service station on the Dundrum road in Newcastle.

The 19-year-old woman was attacked as she tried to push the robber's hand away from the till.

She was taken to hospital for treatment but later released.

In a separate incident, a female shop assistant was threatened at knifepoint during a robbery at a video store in County Antrim.

The attack happened at the shop in Eglinton Street in Portrush at about 1800 BST on Friday.

The man took some money and phone cards from the till.

Meanwhile, an 87-year-old woman is recovering after being attacked by two intruders at her County Armagh home.

The two entered the woman's home at Victor Place, Dollingstown, at about 1940 BST on Friday and pushed the woman on to her sofa and held her down.

The burglars then fled the house empty handed.

Police have appealed for anyone with any information about the attacks to contact them.