Chief Constable of the North's Police Service, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, has said that the dissident Real IRA are the chief suspects behind last night's car bomb in Birmingham.

The IRA has decided to decommission weapons in two of its secret arms dumps which have been examined by government appointed inspectors, it was claimed tonight.

Police investigating the Ealing bomb blast were tonight hopeful that they could finish their search for forensic evidence within hours.

The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary today admitted to ‘‘suspicions’’ about those responsible for the Ealing bomb.

The Chief Constable of the RUC, Ronnie Flanagan, has vowed to stay on as head of the force until the changes recommended by the Patten report are in place.

Security sources in the North have confirmed that recruitment to the RUC will begin this week, despite objections from the SDLP and Sinn Fein.