Three men aged 28, 23 and 21 have been released on bail after their arrest in connection with an assault at Helen's Bay.

The men were detained on Monday 25 May following a reported incident at the North Down beach around 9pm.

Police stated that three men in their 30s were assaulted after an earlier verbal altercation.

The victims sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The three suspects were stopped in a vehicle and arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.

A search of the vehicle uncovered suspected Class A and Class B drugs, leading to an additional arrest of the 23-year-old on drug possession charges.

The incident is being investigated as a racially motivated hate crime. Police have appealed for witnesses and any footage of the events.