Stones smash tourist bus window

The attack happened in the Divis Street area of the Falls Road

A window of a Belfast sightseeing bus with 40 tourists on board has been smashed by stone throwers as it made its way through the west of the city.

The incident happened in the Divis Street area at about 1240 BST on Sunday.

There are no reports of any injuries at this stage, a police spokeswoman said.

Australians Eunice and Des Cassidy had only been in Belfast an hour when the attack happend.

"I was sitting right at the window - I didn't see what happened as I was listening to the tour director, I just heard a big bang," said Eunice.

"I'll admit I have been apprehensive about coming to Belfast because there was only trouble not so long ago and this did scare me.

"But then we went on and everything was OK."

Husband Des said: "It didn't worry me - it's happened to me in Australia too.

"It's hasn't changed my mind."

We decided to get out of the area as fast as possible and then spoke to the tourists, no-one was injured but a lot of them seemed visibly shaken Mark McCall, bus driver

However, Eunice added she would be "glad to be leaving Belfast" on Monday.

A number of youths wearing hooded tops were seen in the area at the time of the attack.

Mark McCall was driving the bus, which is operated by Allen's Tours.

"We were driving up the lower part of the Falls Road and I noticed a crowd of youths coming down the left hand side, but thought nothing of it," he said.

"As I was passing, one of them threw an object and it went through the side window.

"We decided to get out of the area as fast as possible and then spoke to the tourists, no-one was injured but a lot of them seemed visibly shaken. I think the whole thing has left a very bad impression."

After consulting with the tourists, it was decided that the tour should continue as planned.