Portadown Orangemen today pledged to remain peaceful as they set off on Northern Ireland’s volatile loyalist parade.

The Parades Commission has upheld its ruling that this year's annual Drumcree march cannot proceed down the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road.

A Northern Ireland minister is to be given special responsibility for heading a crack-down on joyriding in the province, it was revealed today.

EastEnders has swept the boards at the British soap awards - winning 10 of a possible 16 awards.

More than 95% of all parades in Northern Ireland during the summer passed off without incident and without any ruling from the Parades Commission.

David Trimble tonight called for the Drumcree Orangemen to be allowed to march down the flashpoint nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown.

The Parades Commission has said it is pledged to safeguard the parading tradition in the North.

A Sinn Fein Assembly member today expressed alarm at comments from the chairman of the Parades Commission that Portadown Orangemen should engage with nationalist residents if they want a march from Drumcree this year.