Loyalist fued 'could break out again'

There are fears of another violent phase in the loyalist feud this summer after last night's murder of a former UVF man in Newtownards.

Two pipe bombs were also thrown at a house in Portrush on the north Antrim coast last night.

Last summer’s bloody loyalist feud, which resulted in seven murders and left more than 250 families homeless, was only patched up rather than being resolved.

There have been sporadic breakouts since, including the murder of a man in Conlig, near Newtownards, Co Down, last month in a drugs-related shooting.

Last night's murder in the town had all the hallmarks of a paramilitary attack, according to the RUC, and the dead man had UVF links.

Last night two pipe bombs were thrown at different houses in the resort of Portrush on the north Antrim coast.

Tensions are also running high in North Belfast where last weekend some families decided to move out of the area during a UVF march held to inaugurate a wall mural dedicated to a man shot dead by the LVF.

All the signs are that there could be more violence, despite efforts of some community workers to defuse tensions.