A young Catholic mother and her family had a narrow escape when a number of shots were fired at her north Belfast home yesterday morning.
Nationalist politicians and local residents blamed loyalist paramilitaries for the gun attack, which occurred on Parkend Street just off Limestone Road, one of the worst sectarian flashpoints in the city.
It is thought that a number of people tried to force their way into the house at about 6.45 a.m. before up to five shots were fired at the property at close range. One bullet lodged itself in the wall of the downstairs front room.
Ms Donna McDaid, who was in the house with several other people, said it was a miracle that nobody had been killed in the attack. Her two daughters, aged three and six, were spending Christmas with their father and were not in the house at the time of the shooting.
Ms McDaid said she had repeatedly applied to be rehoused and was on a Housing Executive waiting list.