POLICE are investigating reports of students directing racist abuse at Romanians in the Holylands area of south Belfast.

One resident said she witnessed students shouting the 'n-word' at Roma young people and telling them to "go back home".

It comes as the council revealed nearly 200 anti-social behaviour incidents were recorded in the Holylands in recent days as throngs of students arrived for freshers' week.

Brid Ruddy, chair of the College Park Avenue Residents' Association, described the scenes "nightmarish".

She said she contacted the PSNI after seeing abusive behaviour on Sunday at about 6pm on Agincourt Avenue.

"There were Roma youths standing on the corner and there were students going past. I saw racist abuse being hurled at these Roma youths," she said.

"It was a group of about eight students going past and about eight Roma young men shouting at one another. The students were shouting all this torrent of abuse, 'go back home'.

"There was an exchange between the two groups but certainly the students were shouting. How these Roma guys kept their cool I don't know."

Ms Ruddy said the students shouting the 'n-word' had earlier left an off-licence.

"By that stage they were on their way to getting drunk, and there were a lot of drunk people. It's just nightmarish," she said.

Ms Ruddy said her Roma neighbour "wasn't in the slightest bit surprised" when she described the incident.

"They said that's very common all year round," she said, adding that few report issues as they don't speak fluent English.

Belfast City Council recorded 183 incidents in the Holylands relating to noise and alcohol on Sunday night and and Monday.

Five incidents including two of "rowdy behaviour" were referred to the PSNI.

Ray Farley of Belfast Holylands Regeneration Association said: "This has been a dreadful weekend in the Holyland with constant noise, parties and anti-social behaviour.

"After the St Patrick's Day disturbances we had been promised a strategy was being put in place to allow residents to have peace and quiet around freshers' weeks.

"Whatever has been done has been particularly impotent."

Belfast City Council said it has been working with numerous other agencies to address issues in the Holylands.

A spokeswoman said: "Whilst any of the behavioural issues are of concern, not least to residents, we believe that the low figures demonstrate that our partnership approach is being effective."

PSNI chief inspector Robert Murdie said officers have recently been dealing with anti-social behaviour and working with other agencies to address on-street drinking and noise issues in the Holylands and university area.

He added: "An investigation is also ongoing in relation to a third party report of a hate incident.

"Police and other statutory agencies meet on a regular basis with local residents through the Holylands Forum to address concerns on a regular basis."