A woman has been struck across the face with a gun, during a mugging in Ballyhackamore in east Belfast.

She was assaulted by a man in his 20s on Dundela Avenue, shortly after 7pm on Tuesday.

Police are appealing for information after he stole her jewellery before making off towards the Clonlee Drive area on foot, leaving the victim badly shaken.

The armed robber, who was wearing a dark coloured tracksuit, is described as 5'6 with dirty fair hair, spiked on top.

East Belfast Alliance MP Naomi Long (pictured) has condemned the mugging, and she commented: "This was a deeply disturbing incident. My thoughts are with the woman who experienced this ordeal and I hope she makes a swift and full recovery. I appeal to anyone with information on this attack to contact police immediately."

Local Representative Cllr Judith Cochrane added: "This attack happened in a very quiet area and people in the vicinity will be extremely shocked at this.

"The fact that the robber was carrying a gun makes this sickening incident all the more sinister."

This news comes just hours after a stand-off in the same area involving a man armed with a knife.

In a separate incident, the 19-year-old barricaded himself into a house at Bendigo Street, in the My Lady's Road area.

A police negotiator and a friend of the man managed to convince him to hand over the knife before he was detained by police. A PSNI spokeswoman said the incident was over by 8pm.

(JG/GK)