Northern Ireland

Co Waterford man's car pelted with eggs during loyalist band parade in Omagh

The man said they spoke to a police officer, who helped "guide us out through the one-way system"
The man said they spoke to a police officer, who helped "guide us out through the one-way system" The man said they spoke to a police officer, who helped "guide us out through the one-way system"

A Co Waterford man has told of how his car was pelted with eggs during a loyalist band parade in Omagh.

The man and his family had stopped in the Campsie Road area of the Co Tyrone town on Saturday night to get a pizza when the attack happened.

They had travelled to Northern Ireland to celebrate a confirmation with relatives who live in Omagh. The man said he believed they were targeted because their car had a southern registration plate.

He told the Belfast Telegraph that: "There were a lot of bands getting ready for the parade.

"But we honestly didn't think anything of it when we stopped.

"I thought days like this were long in the past. That we were in any danger didn't even cross my mind.

"We were away for 10 or 15 minutes around 8pm and when we came back the car was covered in eggs.

"There were a couple of people standing close by and when we asked them if they had seen anything they told us 'no'."

The man, who was not identified, said they "tried to get out as quickly as we could, but found ourselves in a one-way street".

He said they spoke to a police officer, who helped "guide us out through the one-way system".

"But we were left shocked," he said.

"There was a large crowd of people staring at us and we were left feeling intimidated. It was a very unpleasant experience.

"We just wanted to get out as quickly as we could, particularly with a young child involved."