Seafood restaurant suffers damage in Belfast arson attack

Police are treating a fire in the Bank Street area of Belfast as arson.

Officers received a report of a fire at around 4.40am on Wednesday.

It is believed a bin was set alight, which spread to a gazebo and a store.

Police attended alongside colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service who extinguished the fire.

In a post on social media, seafood restaurant Mourne Seafood said: "Unfortunately our outside area will be closed for the foreseeable future."

Bob McCoubrey, who owns Mourne Seafood in Belfast, standing beside the destroyed outdoor area Credit: Pacemaker

In a statement, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said: "Firefighters were called to report of bins on fire that had spread to nearby outdoor commercial premises.

"Firefighters used 1 hose reel to extinguish the fire.

"The incident was dealt with by 04.59am and the cause of the fire is being treated as deliberate ignition at this time."

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