Angry scenes mar Holy Cross blockade

Angry scenes marred the Holy Cross blockade today as tensions spilled over on the disputed North Belfast school run.

As political efforts to resolve the crisis continued, one loyalist protester was arrested during a confrontation between picketers and a Catholic parent walking her child to class.

Philomena Flood, a member of the Right to Education Group, claimed her seven-year-old daughter Eirinn was taunted while passing residents in the Protestant Glenbryn estate.

As she returned Ms Flood stopped at police lines and pointed towards those she said were behind the abuse.

Furious residents began shouting at her, with one woman immediately arrested by police and bundled into a jeep.

The angry exchange came as increasing numbers of children used the school buses specially laid on to take them to Holy Cross.

With the rain driving down, about 25 pupils and their parents went up the disputed Ardoyne Road on three bus runs.

Meanwhile, Glenbryn residents are expected to hold talks with Stormont First Minister David Trimble and Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan tomorrow.

The meeting followed a round of high-level talks yesterday during which parents and the Holy Cross board of governors met the two leaders in the Stormont Cabinet.

Loyalist residents last night also met executive officials during talks chaired by North Belfast Democratic Unionist MP Nigel Dodds.

The Glenbryn residents have been pressing for a number of measures to be introduced, including CCTV, road-calming initiatives and extra security presence before they will agree to call off the protest.

But amid growing hopes that an end to the 12-week long stand-off was imminent, one source close to the loyalists said: ‘‘If we get what we are looking for this will be over by Monday.’’