A Ballycolman pensioner has pleaded to be left in peace, after her house was attacked by up to 20 youngsters earlier this week.

The incident occurred at around 8pm on Tuesday night at the Columban Terrace home of 78-year-old Lilly Donaghey.

Mrs Donaghey was not at home at the time of the attack, however her son Michael confronted the egg-throwing youths only to be laughed at and verbally abused.

Speaking yesterday (Wednesday), Mrs Donaghey, who suffered two heart attacks shortly before Christmas, said the group have been waging a campaign of terror on the Ballycolman Estate for several months

She explained: "These sort attacks are becoming almost nightly and it is terrifying for many of the older people in this area.

"This group of young people hang about the local shop all the time and it can be quite frightening, especially if you have to go over late at night.

"Alot of elderly people in this area are being tortured on a nightly basis by these boys and girls and things are starting to get out of hand. I can clean the eggs off the front window, but I'm just frightened that they will target the car some night, doing more permanent damage.

"All I would ask is that they leave us alone to get on with our lives," she said.

Sinn Fein's Brian McMahon said he has spoken to some of the young people in the hope of ending the anti-social activity.

"Sinn Fein have been trying to work with these young people for a while now and we thought we had the problem solved but then we heard of this attack. It is outrageous and unacceptable that this pensioner's home was targetted and we will continue to work with the local community group and people on the ground to find a solution to this ongoing problem," he said.

A police spokesperson added that they had been informed of the incident and were investigating.