Catholic children were today preparing to go to Holy Cross Primary school in north Belfast without encountering loyalist protesters for the first time in three months.

There are fresh hopes for the Holy Cross School crisis.

Children and parents affected by the Holy Cross protest will be taken to school by bus this morning.

The North’s new police service has struck a deal with the loyalist protestors outside the Catholic Holy Cross school in Belfast that should see the protest scaled down in the coming days.

Loyalist protesters from Upper Ardoyne in north Belfast are expected to resume their demonstration outside the Catholic Holy Cross school this morning.