A 39-year-old builder required hospital treatment for a head injury, cuts and bruises following an aggravated burglary.

The man was attacked by three assailants at a house in Ballymena, Co Antrim, on Friday. Police subsequently arrested two men in the Newtownabbey area about 45 minutes later. Another man was also arrested later in the Antrim area.

All remain in custody this morning and are being questioned by the PSNI. They are aged 35, 36 and 39.

A 32-year-old woman and two children, aged five and three, who were also in the house at the time of the raid were not injured but were shaken by the incident.

"At around 3pm it was reported a number of men had entered a house in the Moat Road area. It's understood they threatened the male occupant with hammers and what was described as a 'handgun', demanding money. They then assaulted him with the hammers before making off with a sum of cash," said Det Insp Bob Blemmings.

Anyone with information that could assist this investigation can contact detectives at Ballymena Criminal Investigation Department.