Residents 'fearful' for their homes amid fireworks trouble

Residents in west Belfast were "fearful" that their homes would be burned down by a group of young people throwing fireworks on Saturday night, a local councillor has said.

People in the area said a group of about 30 youths were involved in the trouble.

Belfast City Councillor Paul Doherty said someone could be seriously hurt, or potentially, lose their life.

A resident added that it was a "regular occurrence" and residents were "tortured".

Gerard, who has lived in the area for 20 years and is fearful of further intimidation, said the trouble on Saturday night involved children as young as nine and teenagers.

He said that residents contacted the police but were told it was not an emergency so they did not attend the scene.

However, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said officers attended the areas which were reported but "no youths were located on their arrival".

Speaking to BBC News NI Gerard said: "It's very frightening and it's causing a lot of anxiety with the residents.

"These people are banging our windows at all hours and it could turn into something serious."

The PSNI added: "The situation is continuing to be monitored, and a policing presence will remain within these areas.

"We also understand the impact that the misuse of fireworks can have on local communities – and we are here to listen to those concerns, and take action."

Doherty added: "People were fearful their homes were going to be burned down - as some of these rockets had bounced off windows in the front of their houses."

He said residents were petrified as well as angry.

"Deliberately targeting vehicles last night, firing them across the road at each other, putting themselves at risk, putting others at risk," he said.

"Fireworks are dangerous. Year in, year out when it comes to this stage of the year, we see a real increase. The message from myself and many others in the community is we need to crack down on those who are selling these fireworks illegally."

He added that police had to tackle both the issue of fireworks and "ongoing" anti-social behaviour in west Belfast, and across the city.

The independent councillor said he believed the antisocial behaviour, which followed a string of other incidents in the city involving scrambler, e-bikes and e-scooters, was partly a result of the tight resourcing of "incredible" youth workers and outreach teams that have been heavily impacted by funding cuts.

"If they were there last night, they would have been in a position to talk those young people down, to make better decisions, and for them to be turned away from that area," he said.

"That's missing and that's the consequences of cutting that funding."