The home of the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland has been paint bombed.

Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness says he and his grandchildren were inside the property in Derry when it happened last night.

Mr McGuinness has thanked his neighbours for all their help in the aftermath.

“This was an attack not just on me but on my family too, including my grandchildren who were in the house at the time," Mr McGuinness said in a statement.

“This attack on my family follows an arson attack on the car of a Sinn Féin member in Derry last week and on Sinn Féin election billboards and posters in the city. The people behind these attacks have nothing to offer the community and they are intent on dragging society back to the past.

“I will not be deflected from my work as a Sinn Féin representative and as Deputy First Minister of building a peaceful and prosperous future for all our people and creating a society built upon equality and inclusion,” he added.

Want to express my appreciation to our wonderful friends & neighbours for their support in the aftermath of last night's attack.#greatpeople

— Martin McGuinness (@M_McGuinness_SF) May 4, 2015