Policeman injured in Belfast violence

Police came under attack during a third successive night of violence which continued in north Belfast into the early hours of today.

One officer was injured and two teenagers arrested after the violence spread from the nationalist Ardoyne to the Springfield Road and Ligoniel Road areas.

Ardoyne was again the centre of the most serious trouble and around 11pm a group of up to 100 youths gathered in Brompton Park and attacked police in riot gear with petrol bombs and other missiles including bricks and bottles.

An officer suffered an injury to his head and foot, said a police spokeswoman.

A car was set on fire in the Balhone area and an attempted hijacking was reported in the same area.

Youths aged 17 and 18 were arrested during the violence which continued until calm was restored around 1.30am.

In the early hours of the morning police arrested a second man over a gun attack on police during rioting in the Ardoyne when republicans attacked police protecting an Orange parade on Monday.

The 30-year-old was taken to the Serious Crime Suite in Antrim where a 28-year-old man is already being held after being arrested for questioning about the shooting during searches of houses in the Ardoyne yesterday.

Dissident republicans have been accused of starting the trouble in a bid to disrupt the July 12 Orange parades on Monday and of continuing it since.

Sinn Fein claims dissidents bussed rioters in from outside the area.

Following the third night of trouble a Police Service spokeswoman said: "Police have been and continue to work closely with the community to end these disturbances. No one wants this kind of disorder and violence in their neighbourhood, preventing members of the community from going about their normal routine and causing damage to homes and businesses in the area."

She added: "We would appeal to all of those with influence in the community to work with us to bring this disorder to an end and allow the residents of Ardoyne to live in peace.

"We are asking anyone with information to bring that to us."