Arsonists target Catholic Church

Passing army patrol put put out fire at Holy Cross

Soldiers have foiled an attempt to burn down a Catholic Church in north Belfast.

Arsonists set alight a laundry room at the Holy Cross Church on the Crumlin Road on Wednesday night.

The flames were spotted by a passing army patrol at about 2315 BST.

They managed to put the fire out and minor damage was caused.

Arsonists tried to set laundry room on fire

Meanwhile, an explosive device has been thrown at an army patrol in County Armagh.

The attack happened at the Antrim Road in Lurgan at about 1930 BST on Wednesday.

Another device was also found outside a house in the area.

Devices defused

Also on Wednesday, a woman escaped injury in a petrol bomb attack on her home in Newtownabbey, County Antrim.

Scorch damage was caused to the house in Old Throne Park.

A second device was thrown at a neighbour's house, which was empty at the time.

Earlier, army bomb experts made safe three pipe bombs in County Antrim.

In the first of two incidents, two pipe bombs were diffused in a garden in Portrush.

The devices were found at a house in the Glenlane Drive area on Wednesday.

Earlier, the army defused another pipe bomb in Ballymena.

The device was thrown at a house in Sandown Park in the early hours of the morning.

Police have appealed for information on all three attacks.