Teenage girls ordered to leave Derry

Three teenage girls have been ordered to leave Londonderry by an armed and masked gang.

It has been reported that around six men, armed with a handgun and a baseball bat, broke into a house in the Gallaigh Park area of the city at around 10pm last night.

It is understood that a gun was put to the head of one of the girls, before the gang ordered them to leave the city within 24 hours.

The men then smashed up a number of household items and the window of a parked car, before making their escape.

Commenting on the threat, PSNI Superintendent David Hanna said: "There's no place for intimidation in this city. Those who threaten and abuse children in such a reckless manner have nothing worthwhile to contribute to society and their actions should be utterly condemned."

SDLP assembly member Mary Bradley condemned the incident: "The days of these type of threat are meant to have long since passed. This must have been a shocking and traumatic experience for the young girls involved and something that no-one should have to go through.

"Those responsible are thuggish cowards. They have nothing to offer the area and no role to play in our future. No-one has the right to act as judge, jury and executioner in such a manner."

Detectives investigating the incident have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

(EF/SP)