Premises hit in sectarian attacks

Windows at this hotel were smashed on Saturday night

A number of business premises in Garvagh, County Londonderry, have been damaged in sectarian attacks.

A total of 20 windows were broken at a butcher's shop, a cafe, a hotel and a public house on Main Street between 0300 BST and 0330 BST on Sunday.

Police say they are treating the attacks as sectarian. The business attacked are all believed to be Catholic owned.

They said they would be examining CCTV footage following the incident.

East Derry SDLP MLA John Dallat said resources for rural policing needed to be reviewed.

"The present system is failing ordinary decent people living in vulnerable places such as Garvagh," he said.

"They don't need to be getting phone calls in the middle of the night to tell them to return to their premises, as they have been smashed up."

Sinn Fein councillor Billy Leonard said the owners of the premises would not be put out of business by "thugs".

"I spoke to one of the business people who said that they would be determined to keep going, that they serve a mixed clientele and they have a mixed workforce," he said.