Bunting dispute leads to sectarian rioting

Serious violence broke out last night between nationalist and loyalist groups in east Belfast.

Police said rival factions of about 50 each threw stones at each other in the Short Strand area at Bryson Street and Pitt Park. But Jim Rodgers,the Lord Mayor of Belfast, said there had been shooting by both sides and there were also unconfirmed reports of blast bombs exploding.

Troops moved into the area in an attempt to separate the factions. There were conflicting claims of how the trouble started, the latest in a series of clashes in the area, but it was apparently prompted by loyalist bunting being strung up next to a Catholic church.

Mr Rodgers appealed for calm. "I have absolutely no doubt there are those that are hell bent on causing trouble and taking problems that we have seen in north Belfast and parts of south Belfast into the east of the city yet again.

"Shots have been fired from both sides, missiles, bottles, bricks have been thrown," he said. East Belfast has recently taken over from north Belfast as the scene of inter-community clashes.