The semi-detached property in Lauderdale Avenue was targeted at around 10.40pm on Saturday evening when a “lit-object” smashed through the window, causing a fire to erupt at the front of the building.

The exterior of the house — believed to be the family home of a jailed man who had connections to an outlawed loyalist group — was badly damaged in the attack.

However, the occupants of the property, who are believed to have been in the living room when the missile exploded, were shaken but unhurt.

Tayside Police have not commented on the device used in the attack, but it is understood to have been some sort of petrol bomb.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, officers closed off sections of Lauderdale Avenue and nearby Annandale Avenue, to ensure any potential evidence was not compromised. A tent was also erected in the garden of the affected property.

The police spent much of yesterday carrying out examinations at the scene and conducting door-to-door inquiries in the vicinity.

A force spokesperson said today that they were keen to speak to anyone who had been in the area at the time and may hold information vital to the inquiry.

The spokesperson said, “Tayside Police inquiries into the incident in Lauderdale Avenue are continuing today.

“Uniformed officers and plain-clothes detectives are involved in the investigation, and door-to-door inquiries are continuing in the area.

“Anyone with information about this incident should contact Tayside Police on Dundee 223200 or speak to any officer.”