By Conor Sharkey
A blind Strabane pensioner whose home was targetted by bonfire collecting youths, has called on those behind the attack to leave him and his elderly neighbours in peace.
The 84-year-old man, who did not wish to be identified, was at home on the Ballycolman Estate last Tuesday night when the incident occurred.
At around 10pm, as the pensioner lay in his bed, the door of his pensioner's bungalow was kicked and the garden fence pulled down. The incident has left the man living in fear of future attacks.
He said: "I was listening to the television because I can't see it and because the house is double-glazed, I never heard a sound outside the house. All of a sudden, the door got an unmerciful bang. I didn't know what was happening and I started to shake from top to toe. I am diabetic and I have had heart attacks in the past and I was sure I was having another one. It was a very frightening experience," he said.
The man explained that it isn't just he who has suffered at the hands of the youths, who he believes aren't from the Ballycolman area.
"My neighbour heard the bang too and she came out to see if I was alright. She was shaking like a leaf too. It was only then that I learnt the fence had been kicked over as well.
"I have heard since that gangs of youths from different estates have been fighting over bonfire materials and I think it was a gang from another estate who kicked the door. We had a fair bit of bother a few years ago with this sort of thing. This was the first time this year and hopefully the last," he said.
The man added: "It has thrown me off line. I'm not sleeping very well at night now but I've been told to try and not worry because of my health. The police have also promised to up their patrols of the area so that has eased our worries slightly," he said.
Offering a bit of advice to those who behind last week's attack, the pensioner said: "They have little to bother them, coming and annoying and distressing us. All I would say is that we just want peace and quiet. Just leave my neighbours and I alone," he said.
Strabane District Council member Brian McMahon said that the incident had arisen out of a fight between rival gangs which had got out of hand.
"Around Halloween different gangs compete for each other's bonfire gear. On this occasion, it seems that a gang landed in the Ballycolman and made an unsuccessful attempt to steal stuff. There appears to have been an altercation and as one of the gangs left, someone ran in and kicked Mr Gallagher's door. I know the family were concerned that this was an attempted break in but I've spoken to the people involved and they have informed me it was just a dare.
"The bonfire rivallary is getting out of hand but I hope there will be no repeat of an attack on a defenseless pensioner," Mr McMahon said.
