Northern Ireland Stormont Health Minister Edwin Poots opened up from an upstairs bedroom at the house near Lisburn, Co Antrim, his Democratic Unionist Party confirmed today.

Police said they were investigating the incident which happened in the early hours of June 6.

Mr Poots, 47, was at home with his wife and four children, when the two intruders were spotted close to the house. They fled after he shouted a warning and fired into the air.

Responding to the story, which was published in the Belfast Telegraph, a DUP spokesman said: "Given the risk to Mr Poots and his family, a legally held shotgun was safely discharged into the air by Mr Poots from within his house to alert the intruders that their presence was known.

"The police were then called by the family and are investigating the matter."

A PSNI spokesman confirmed they had "received a report of persons acting suspiciously in the grounds of a property in Lisburn" early on 6 June.

The DUP spokesman said: "Unknown persons were observed on Mr Poots' property and only metres from the occupied house of a family member."

Police said it was understood "that shots were fired in the air by a householder".

"An investigation into the incident is ongoing at this stage," he said.