Nationalist youths hurled petrol bombs, fireworks and bricks at riot police in Northern Ireland last night, injuring a number of police officers, as they tried to disrupt the annual Orange Order marches.

In Belfast two police officers were injured after rioters — republicans from the hardline Ardoyne district in the north of the city — gathered to prevent the passage of Protestant Orangemen, who were returning from a rally in the city centre, through their area.

At least one shot was fired and about six Molotov cocktails thrown at riot police during the standoff. At one point masked youths on shop rooftops showered a deluge of objects on police lines.

About 150 police officers in riot gear charged into crowds with shields and clubs as water cannons were directed on to the demonstrators, clearing the way for the parade by about 1,000 Protestants from the Orange Order.

There were violent incidents elsewhere in Northern Ireland as tens of thousands of Orangemen and women marched on the biggest day in the annual parades calendar.

Three police officers were injured in Rasharkin, a mainly nationalist village in Co Antrim, when petrol bombs and stones were thrown at them, whilst in Armagh City police came under attack after a bomb exploded, although the bomb itself caused no injuries. A police officer was injured during minor disturbances in Londonderry. A 30-year-old woman died after being hit by a car in Killyleagh, Co Down, at one of the demonstrations.

In Ardoyne at least seven officers were injured after a van was hijacked, set alight and pushed at police lines.

Four people have been arrested for public order offences.

Gerry Kelly, a Sinn Fein member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, criticised those that caused the violence last night and blamed the Real IRA for the trouble.

“This evening’s actions expose very clearly the anti-peace process and sectarian agenda which feeds these factions. It has nothing whatever to do with Irish republicanism,” he said.

“They chose to try and use the opportunity presented by this parade to further an agenda which has time and again been rejected by the republican community in Ardoyne and everywhere else.”

Police assistant chief constable Alistair Finlay said: “It is very disappointing that there were a minority of people, in North Belfast, Derry, Armagh, Rasharkin and other parts of Northern Ireland, who showed total disregard for local communities.

“They displayed the worst possible face of Northern Ireland - a face of bigotry, sectarianism and intolerance that is not representative of the vast majority of people who have moved on and embraced a peaceful future.”

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