FEARING FURTHER ATTACKS

Ruth Bradford was speaking to the Leader after her daughter Laura's car was splattered with at least seven paint bombs last week.

Mrs Bradford, who said she is afraid trouble may escalate in the days ahead, awoke at 3am on Friday May 21 and looked out at what she thought were bird droppings on the car, but a call from her son-in-law some hours later confirmed the car had been attacked.

Twenty-five year old Laura's blue Audi A4 had white gloss paint thrown over the front windscreen and there was paint over the grass, flower pots, and garage door of their home in Stewart's Crescent, Rathfriland.

Mrs Bradford said her daughter is in shock at the attack. "Her pride and joy was her car," she said. "When my son-in-law called that morning to say the car had been done Laura just burst into tears.

"She went off to try and do a day's work in the hairdressers and the tears were streaming down her face."

The family, who have lived in the town all their lives and at that address for the past 12 years said they have never experienced anything like this before.

"I would be fearful of things getting worse," said Mrs Bradford. "We are a family that just keep ourselves to ourselves. This is very unexpected."

Banbridge council chairman Liz Ingram said she is disgusted at this attack. "I know the family well and they are very quiet, respectable people," said Mrs Ingram.

"I would ask anyone with information to contact the police."

Police can be contacted on 0845 600 8000.