Officer's life placed 'in danger'

Trouble started after a police station was attacked

A woman police inspector's life was in danger during trouble in north Belfast, a senior PSNI officer has said.

Two warning shots were fired by police who went to rescue their colleagues when they became isolated in the Shankill area early on Monday.

The inspector was hit with a bottle when she went to investigate an attack on Tennant Street police station.

Superintendent Gary White said he did not want to contemplate what would have happened had the shots not been fired.

"She has told me herself that when she was calling for assistance on radio she felt, and said over the radio, that her life was in danger as was her colleague," he said.

"That's how serious the situation was, that's how serious the attack on those two officers was."

The trouble flared at about 0100 GMT when four men got out of a car and threw bottles and other missiles at Tennant Street PSNI station.

Police chased them into Montreal Street where the female officer was grabbed and hit in the face with a bottle.

About 30 people leaving a club attacked officers with bricks, bottles and other missiles. Four officers were injured. The Police Ombudsman is investigating.

Police fired two shots during the violence to try and disperse the crowd. One man was arrested.

Afterwards a van was set on fire at nearby Cambrai Street.