Residents living near the notorious Limestone Road interface say they believe loyalists are trying to whip up sectarian tensions coming up to the marching season after a mob from Tigers Bay went on the rampage attacking cars and houses at the weekend.

The mob of around 15 youths smashed eight car windscreens and wing mirrors in Atlantic Avenue in the early hours of Saturday morning. They then smashed the front windows of a house in Newington Avenue before fleeing back to Tigers Bay.

Kevin Murphy, who is Co-chair of the Newington. Parkside and Castleton Residents Group had his car attacked outside his Atlantic Avenue home. He said local people are worried that the situation could escalate during the July parading season.

"Around 15 of them just came running into the area destroying everything in sight, you can even see the footprints on the bonnet of the car where they walked on it," he said.

"They went right along the street wrecking cars and then ran back out again. People living here are worried now that it is going to get worse. They showed no fear whatsoever coming into this area to destroy property.

"This week is the mini Twelfth and then we have the main Twelfth parades coming up so residents are nervous about what could happen. Could a person be attacked next? If anyone had been out walking at that time they could have been killed. There is a sense of fear."

Mr Murphy added that those who carried out the attack have been taunting young people in the area with text messages warning more attacks will take place.

"Some of our young people here have been involved in cross community work so have the numbers of the young people in the Tigers Bar area. They were sent text messages saying they would be back next week for more of the same."

Sinn Feín councillor Conor Maskey said it is lucky no nationalist resident was killed or injured in the attacks.

"This is a situation that could have gone even more horribly wrong. The fact that a group of people from a loyalist area felt that it would be ok to come into Atlantic Avenue and vandalise cars and property is a disgrace," he said.

"It is ironic that one of the co chairs of the residents' association who is trying his best to do positive work for the district had his car attacked.

"One thing that is missing here is leadership from unionist political representatives on this matter. It has been stated before that there is great work going on in an inter-community level by community workers but political leadership is needed."

A PSNI spokeswoman confirmed they are investigating the attacks and added that a sectarian motive is "one line of enquiry" they are pursuing.