Masked gang break into man's Belfast home and beat him as he slept in bed

A gang of four masked men forced their way into a Belfast home and beat a man as he slept.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information.

It happened in the Alexandra Park Avenue area of north Belfast on Tuesday.

A PSNI statement said: “Shortly before 7.20pm, officers received and responded to a report of a disturbance in the area. “It was further reported that four men, wearing gloves and masks, had entered a property and assaulted a male whilst he was asleep upstairs. “A short time later, it was reported that a brick was thrown through the living room window of the house. “Enquiries are ongoing, and we are appealing to anyone who may have any information which could assist, to call the non-emergency number 101, and quote reference number 1461 of 31/05/22.

"Alternatively, you can submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/ ."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.