Residents in west Belfast were "fearful" that their homes would be burned down by a group of young people throwing fireworks on Saturday night, a local councillor has said.

People in the area said a group of about 30 youths were involved in the trouble.

Belfast City Councillor Paul Doherty said someone could be seriously hurt, or potentially, lose their life.

A resident added that it was a "regular occurrence" and residents were "tortured".

Gerard, who has lived in the area for 20 years and is fearful of further intimidation, said the trouble on Saturday night involved children as young as nine and teenagers.

He told BBC News NI that residents contacted the PSNI but were told it was not an emergency so they did not attend the scene.

The BBC has contacted the PSNI for comment.

"We have to contend with all that has happened, with no backup whatsoever," Gerard said.

"It's very frightening and it's causing a lot of anxiety with the residents.

"These people are banging our windows at all hours and it could turn into something serious."

"People were fearful their homes were going to be burned down - as some of these rockets had bounced off windows in the front of their houses," Doherty said.

He said residents were petrified as well as angry.

"Deliberately targeting vehicles last night, firing them across the road at each other, putting themselves at risk, putting others at risk," he said.

"Fireworks are dangerous. Year in, year out when it comes to this stage of the year, we see a real increase. The message from myself and many others in the community is we need to crack down on those who are selling these fireworks illegally."

He added that police had to tackle both the issue of fireworks and "ongoing" anti-social behaviour in west Belfast, and across the city.

The independent councillor said he believed the antisocial behaviour, which followed a string of other incidents in the city involving scrambler, e-bikes and e-scooters, was partly a result of the tight resourcing of "incredible" youth workers and outreach teams that have been heavily impacted by funding cuts.

"If they were there last night, they would have been in a position to talk those young people down, to make better decisions, and for them to be turned away from that area," he said.

"That's missing and that's the consequences of cutting that funding."