Sinn Fein has appealed to community and political leaders in the Fountain to take action to stop trouble escalating.

The party's leader on the City Council, Maeve McLaughlin, was speaking after two petrol bombs were thrown from the estate into Upper Bennett Street in the early hours of Saturday morning.

She said Sinn Fein had been "reliably informed" that the recent theft of a tricolour and vandalism of the H-Block memorial in the Bogside - during which the symbolic lark was removed - was carried out by people from the Fountain.

DUP MLA William Hay said recent incidents at the interface haven't done either community any good.

"My greatest fear is that if we can't resolve these issues someone is going to be seriously hurt or we'll be dealing with a fatality. We as leaders also need to ensure we don't say anything that further inflames the situation."

He suggested that Sinn Fein go to the police with any information on troublemakers.

Fountain community leader Janette Warke told the 'Journal' that the people of the area wanted to "live in peace".

"It's happening on both sides and we as community leaders are working really hard to bring people together through community initiatives. Barring a miracle what else can we do? I'm not standing up for one side or the other."

No bird in Fountain

She rubbished the hunger-strike memorial claims: "I'd love to know where Maeve McLaughlin got that information because I've heard nothing like it - that bird has not turned up in the Fountain."