Elderly couple tied up and robbed in Ballymoney home

Two masked men, wearing dark clothing and armed with suspected firearms, forced their way into the house in Lisnagat Road, Ballymoney, at about 1am.

The property was ransacked and the robbers fled with an undisclosed sum of cash.

The elderly man and woman were left badly shaken by their ordeal, police said.

DUP MLA Mervyn Storey has condemned the “terrifying attack”.

He said: “Whilst such attacks are thankfully relatively rare, there is a real fear amongst many older people who feel vulnerable even in their home.

“It is vital that not only are those responsible identified, but that sentences are handed down to those convicted of such crimes which reflect the serious nature of the offence.”