'Mad Dog' allies struggle to find haven in Britain

Mainland Britain offers little sense of lasting security for exiled relatives and allies of Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair.

About 25 of them first went to Scotland, where they are believed to have spent a night in the Quality Station Hotel, Ayr. But some of the group, which is thought to have included children, subsequently moved to a town in Greater Manchester, where they were monitored by police.

The town has not been identified, for fear of reprisals – but the group did plan to apply to the local council for rented housing, indicating a hope of lying low for a time. There were also reports in Manchester that they used food vouchers.

It is not known if Adair's wife, Gina, and their three children were among their number. One exile would only say: "We are trying to get housed here. We have children with us." But they left as quickly as they arrived. A police spokesman said three days ago: "We did know that they were in the Greater Manchester area, but they have since moved on. We do not know where."

Other supporters of the dissident Ulster Defence Association leader are rumoured to be moving to the "stockbroker belt" south of London, Liverpool and the Midlands.

Speaking from Carlisle 10 days ago, the group's leader, John White, said a hardcore would remain in Ayrshire, within easy reach of Northern Ireland. But Mr White said he intended to settle in Surrey. "Gina [Adair] is not coming – we are all splitting up. She is going towards the Midlands," Mr White was reported to have said.

Scotland appears to remain a haven for Sammy "Skelly" McCrory. A number of exiles are thought to be staying with friends in Ayrshire and at least one has spoken from there. "I'm a close friend of Adair and Skelly and I don't see that they've done anything wrong," one said.