Moyarget Orange Hall on the Kilmahamogue Road, outside Ballycastle town, was completely burnt early on Wednesday morning after flammable liquid was poured into building and set alight.

John McGregor: Hall was part of community

Orange Master John McGregor said: "There is absolutely no reason for an attack on the Orange Hall.

"The hall has been used for functions like dances and wedding parties by both Protestants and Roman Catholics and has been very much part of our community here."

He said Moyarget lodge are determined to rebuild the hall.

He said: "I can assure you that the Protestants here will have an Orange hall again, and we will be back to full strength again very soon."

He added: "I can't think of any reason why they would target an Orange Hall.

"Supposedly they claim it's was because of attacks on nationalist houses in Ballycastle, but the Orange Order don't have guns or any weapons, we are a Christian organisation.

In a statement the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland said: ''Yet again we have witnessed an attack not merely on a building, but the community it served.

"Obviously there are those of such a sectarian mindset that they even find our buildings offensive.''

DUP Assemblyman for North Antrim, Gardiner Kane condemned the attack.

He said: "If this is our peace process, God knows what is to come. I hope those responsibly are brought to task immediately."

Allan Barton: Police investigating reports

RUC Inspector Allan Barton said that the attack had raised tension in the area and said he hoped there would be no retaliation.

There was a security alert in Ballycastle on Tuesday after a hoax device was discovered in the garden of a house at Kilns Road in Ballycastle.

The police are investigating reports that a group had claimed they carried out arson on the hall.

Inspector Barton said: ''Information has been received from some of the newsrooms that a group reporting to be from the Moyle Action Group have claimed responsbility for causing this damage.''

North Antrim Sinn Fein councillor James McGarry said 'blatant sectarianism' had prompted the attack and that such incidents could not be tolerated in any society.