A bowling champion has told of his terror after his car was petrol bombed outside his Co Antrim home in an apparent sectarian attack.

Gary Kelly (20), who represents Ireland at bowls, was watching television in an upstairs room when his Ford Focus burst into flames after being deliberately set alight.

The classroom assistant said he heard a smash as a brick was thrown into one of the car windows before a petrol bomb was then lobbed through the broken glass, eventually burning the vehicle out.

Mr Kelly also claimed a menacing note was pushed through the letterbox of his Queen’s Street house in Ballymoney around 1am yesterday.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Kelly said his parents, with whom he lives, were badly shaken after the frightening attack.

“It was a terrifying thing to happen and I feel the petrol bomb could have been put in the window of our house, not just my car which is now a scrap heap challenge,” he said.

“My mother (Eilish) has lived here for 48 years. We don’t understand this at all. We have never had any problems in the past.”

Mr Kelly, who is a well-known member of Ballymoney Bowling Club, said he couldn’t understand the motive behind the callous attack.

“I heard somebody at the letterbox,” he said.

“Five minutes later I heard a smash and when I looked out I saw the flames in the front of the car. Within minutes it was completely burnt out.

“They threw a A4-sized piece of paper into the letterbox which read: ‘Your republican connections will not go unnoticed’. It was typed out in capitals.

“We don’t have any connections. We’re not like that in any way. Nobody understands why we were targeted or what the note means.”

The car cannot be salvaged after the incident, according to Mr Kelly, who said he will now have to save up to buy another.

“I had to take time off work to deal with this so I’ve already lost a day’s pay,” he said.

“Finding the money to buy a replacement vehicle won’t be easy for me, especially during the current economic climate.

“We are still trying to work out why this happened. I work in a Catholic school and I play bowls for Ireland but 90% of my friends are Protestant and they can’t believe it. They know the kind of person I am and they can’t get their heads round this at all.”

A police spokeswoman said that a motive for the incident was under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives on 0845 600 8000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.