Continued gains for DUP in council elections

Votes are continuing to be counted in the Northern council elections with the DUP still making gains on the Ulster Unionists.

David Trimble will leave the North for a meeting in Downing Street with the British prime minister this afternoon - with disappointing results for his party top of the agenda.

The pattern around the North is still the same - losses for the Ulster Unionists and gains for the DUP.

On Antrim council the UUP are down two seats and the DUP are up two.

In Ballymena, the UUP are down four and the DUP up three and in Belfast, long-standing Ulster Unionist councillor and ex- Lord Mayor Fred Cobain, could be about to lose his seat.

Although it is not a collapse for the Ulster Unionists, their tally will be significantly down - and it is concern about this that David Trimble will be bringing to Tony Blair this afternoon.

With many British newspapers this morning speculating on his possible replacement as party leader, Mr Trimble will be asking Mr Blair to bring greater pressure on the IRA to decommission in a bid to bolster his position.

Newly elected MP for South Antrim David Burnside will accompany Mr Trimble to Downing Street.

Mr Burnside said in his victory speech on Friday that there must be tons of IRA weapons destroyed by July 1 to prevent Mr Trimble's resignation as First Minister.