A member of the travelling community foiled an attempted armed robbery when he produced his own firearm to repel raiders in Co Tipperary late last night.
The incident happened at Drish Bridge, Thurles. A gang of up to five men wearing balaclavas approached the caravan home of Mr Michael Connors shortly before midnight, one of them apparently carrying a shotgun.
But Mr Connors challenged the raiders with a legally held gun and the gang fled. Gardai said the motive for the attack appeared to be robbery and that the intended victim had been the target of previous raids.