Two charged over Belfast violence

Two people have been charged in connection with street violence that broke out in a loyalist area of north Belfast last night.

A 20-year-old man from Scotland and a 17-year-old youth from Belfast were charged with riotous assembly. Both were remanded in custody.

Several people were arrested last night in the area after loyalist gangs threw petrol bombs, bricks and bottles at police and fire crews.

The series of disturbances began after police moved into the Woodvale area yesterday afternoon to carry out searches linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).

Police used water cannon against the gangs involved to quell the violence, which again erupted last night and continued until the early hours of this morning.