Campaign 'waged against Orange'

The leading orangeman said a campaign was being waged

A highly organised campaign is being waged to destroy Orange Order halls, its grand secretary has said.

Drew Nelson was speaking after the latest incident on the Moira Road at Ballinderry in County Antrim.

Smoke damage was caused to an Orange hall in an overnight fire. Mr Nelson said more than 30 halls had been attacked by arsonists so far this year.

"This is a highly organised campaign against the Orange Order," he told BBC News.

"We find it very disappointing, because over the past two or three years we have been working very hard to improve community relations.

"It is a great disappointment to us that these attacks are still going on."

At about 0430 GMT on Sunday, police in Lisburn received reports of a fire at the Orange hall on the Moira Road.

Police said they were treating the blaze as suspicious.

Police are also investigating a similar incident at Ballyworkan Orange hall in Portadown on Friday night.