Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams held talks with leading loyalists today aimed at defusing tensions over controversial parades.

Around 50 petrol bombs were thrown at police in the North this morning ahead of today’s parade by British loyalists.

Reports of gunfire in a volatile north Belfast district where a bitterly disputed loyalist march took place were tonight being probed by police.

A review decision of a controversial Apprentice Boys parade past the Ardoyne area of north Belfast is expected today.

A loyalist Easter band parade has been given the green light to go through the flashpoint nationalist lower Ormeau Road in Belfast.