Catholics living in a town where a teenager was struck on the head with a hatchet have been urged to be on their guard for sectarian attacks.
SDLP Assembly member Mr Donovan McClelland issued the warning as a 15-year-old Catholic youth lay seriously ill in hospital after being struck with the hatchet in the town of Antrim.
The incident occurred at about 11.30 p.m. on Saturday outside the Greystone Primary School on the Greystone Road. A group of youths was seen running from the scene across the Greystone Road to the Stiles Estate.
Police in Antrim believe that the attack was sectarian and have asked anyone with information which could assist the investigation to contact them.
Mr McClelland, an MLA for South Antrim, said that there had been a series of sectarian incidents in the area.
"A lot of the focus has been on sectarian violence in Belfast this summer, but there has been an ongoing series of attacks in the Antrim area for some time," he said.
"A large number of people have been intimidated from their homes and this attack took place not far from the spot where Ciarán Cummings was shot dead last year.
"Those who attacked this teenager knew it was an area where Catholic young people play football. So, once again, I would urge young people in the area to be on their guard for sectarian attacks."
The attack on the 15-year-old was condemned by the Ulster Unionist MP for South Antrim, Mr David Burnside, who expressed concern about policing resources in the area.
"This was a vicious attack and has to be condemned," he said. "Unfortunately, there has been a lot of trouble around the Stiles and Rathenraw estates in Antrim and, indeed, in another part of my constituency, in Glengormley, there has also been sectarian violence, with republican gangs coming into loyalist estates.
"We obviously need more police resources on the ground, but I think we are seeing the madness of the Patten reforms."