Attack on man 'attempted murder'

A car used by the gang was found crashed and burnt out nearby

An attack on a man, who was beaten and shot by a gang at his County Antrim home, is being treated as attempted murder.

The attack happened on Tuesday in the Revallagh area of Bushmills.

Five masked men forced their way into the victim's house and attacked him with metal bars, baseball bats and shot him in the legs.

The victim is being treated in hospital for suspected fractures and what are believed to be puncture wounds.

The police have appealed to anyone who might have seen a blue Ford Escort car, believed to have been used by the gang.

It was found crashed and burnt out a short distance from Revallagh Road at about 2115 GMT on Tuesday.

Detectives say they are keeping an open mind about the motive for the attack.

However, they believe loyalist paramilitaries may have been involved.

In a separate paramilitary-style attack in north Belfast on Tuesday, a 49-year-old man was injured.

He was shot in the left calf at Cultra Street at about 1800 GMT.