Hard-line Protestants may try to wreck the Orange Order’s plans to avoid any trouble at the annual Drumcree marching dispute, it was claimed today.

Northern Ireland was holding its breath today hoping the controversial annual Drumcree parade by Portadown Orangemen passed off peacefully.

Orangemen have set off on their annual Drumcree Parade urging their supporters to maintain a peaceful protest against the ban on their march.

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

The British Government was accused by Orangemen today of tolerating a system of "cultural apartheid" in the North.