A young couple married just a fortnight ago have been beaten at their flat in north Belfast by several masked men.

The attackers, who were armed with baseball bats, burst into the flat in Ballyalton Park in Monkstown on Thursday night.

Mr Timothy Douglas (20) sustained a broken collar bone, a broken nose and bruising. His wife, Susan (20), was bruised on the face.

The men gave no reason for the attack except to say "stop the racket".

The couple, who had just moved into the flat, deny making any noise.

Neighbours said that they did not have a problem with noise.

Mr Douglas's father, Jim, an RUC officer, was shot dead by the IRA in a Belfast city centre bar three years ago.

The beating incident was the 357th known attack of its kind in the past 18 months.