Ulster march passes off peacefully

Prophecies of doom about next Sunday's Orange Order parade at Drumcree, Co Down, will not be realised, a leading Ulster Unionist predicted last night after another Orange march barred from a nationalist area by police passed off without incident.

The Rev Martin Smyth (left), Ulster Unionist MP for South Belfast, and former head of the Orange Order, said he was confident that the better nature of Ulster people would prevail. Yesterday's potential flashpoint was defused when Orangemen, prevented by police from marching through the nationalist Lower Ormeau Road in south Belfast, held a religious service at police lines on the Ormeau Bridge and then dispersed without trouble.