Family targeted in petrol bombing

The attack caused minor scorch damage

A Protestant family has been targeted in a petrol bomb attack in north Belfast.

A device was thrown at their house at Gunnell Hill in the Whitewell area. It caused minor scorch damage.

Rival crowds gathered in the area after the attack but the police said they managed to contain the situation with help from community representatives.

Nicole Darragh, who was in the house, said she and her family had a lucky escape.

"We heard this bang and there was a woman who ran down the street who called for my mummy," she said.

"She told her to get out of the house quickly because they had thrown a petrol bomb.

"My mummy shouted for all my sisters to get out of the house. I had just come in five minutes before with the dog.

"If it had have been five minutes earlier, the petrol bomb would have hit me and the dog probably, and we would have been killed."

Nicole Darragh said she could have been killed

It is the second time the family has been targeted in the past month.

The area's MP, the DUP's Nigel Dodds, condemned the attack.

"It is deplorable that a family should be subjected to such an appalling attack.

"I have spoken to local police chiefs and asked for extra patrols in the area to prevent any further incidents," he said.