A north Belfast councillor has criticised the PSNI response to incidents in the Ardoyne area on Wednesday night, saying officers left shortly after arriving and residents felt they had to fend for themselves. Paul McCusker made the comments after a house on Jamaica Street was attacked and a crash was reported on Alliance Avenue.

Police are treating the attack on the house as a racially motivated hate crime. Paint was thrown at the property and windows were broken with a brick. A photograph taken by Mr McCusker at the scene appeared to show a bullet shell attached to a brick using clingfilm.

A short time later, police received a report of a crash on Alliance Avenue and reports of masked men in the wider area. Mr McCusker said two men on a motorbike were involved in a crash nearby and then left the scene.

Mr McCusker said families and children were frightened, and that residents who contacted the PSNI for clarification were reportedly told officers had been withdrawn because of a potential risk to police. He said the PSNI now need to explain their decision to pull out of the area.

The PSNI said it deployed a number of resources to the area, including a police-operated drone used for situational awareness and to identify investigative opportunities. Police said their priority is to respond based on threat, risk and harm, and they understand the concern incidents of this nature can cause.

Mr McCusker said while officer safety is important, local people also deserve protection and reassurance during serious incidents, and drones alone are not enough to give residents confidence.