The 61-year-old woman was watching television upstairs in the house in North Parade at 2300 BST on Thursday when she heard a loud bang.

When she came down to the front living room, she found the window had been broken by a breeze block and an attempt made to throw a petrol bomb inside.

It hit the window frame and fell into the front garden.

Martin Smyth: Condemned attack

Police say they believe the attack was sectarian.

The woman was deeply shocked but did not require hospital treatment.

The attack has been condemned by South Belfast MP Martin Smyth.

He said: "This is yet another example of all too many completely unjustifiable attacks.

"There could be no motivation whatsoever which would make such an attack on anyone in any way, acceptable or understandable."

The SDLP's Alasdair McDonnell has described the attack as "nakedly sectarian".

The assembly member for south Belfast said there was "no justification for such attacks".