Police officers attacked during North violence

Police came under attack last night and this morning in a series of incidents across the North.

In Kilrea, Co Derry, officers fired warning shots at the scene of a disturbance involving at least 60 people. Two groups clashed in the Diamond area of the town shortly after 2 a.m.

A police spokesman said: "Several people received head injuries during the incident, none of them life-threatening and a number of people were taken to hospital."

"There were no injuries to police," he added. A man was later arrested.

In Limavady, Co Derry police came under attack from missile throwers at 2.15 a.m. as officers tried to clear the remains of an Eleventh Night bonfire that was lying on a roadway. Police were also attacked at 2.30 and 3.30 a.m. One man was arrested.

In Belfast, one man was arrested after four petrol bombs were thrown at police on Torrence Avenue in the north of the city last night.

Police were also investigating reports of shots being fired during bonfire celebrations.

Two men drove into the loyalist Clara Street in east Belfast at around 12.30 a.m. today and fired a number of shots into the air.

According to reports, a dark-coloured Audi pulled up and the passenger tried to fire a handgun at a group of people.

After the weapon jammed, the driver then fired a number of rounds into the air before driving off.

In west Belfast, a 19-year-old man received life-threatening injuries when he was stabbed at a bonfire early this morning. A 33-year-old man is being questioned by police about the incident which happened between 2.30 and 3.30 a.m. in Black Mountain Park.

Early yesterday morning, three men were arrested during disturbances at a bonfire in Randalstown, Co Antrim. At one stage a crowd of over 150 people threw bottles and stones at police.

Thousands of Orangemen are due to march across the North today for their annual July 12th celebrations.