Loyalist supporters clashed with police ahead of an armed forces homecoming parade in Belfast yesterday.

Loyalist supporters clashed with police ahead of an armed forces homecoming parade in Belfast yesterday.

Ahead of the parade of 250 service personnel, thousands of loyalists waving Union flags and singing pro-British songs massed behind barriers - yards from where a planned Sinn Fein protest was expected to arrive.

At one stage, the two sides came within 50 yards of each other and riot police moved quickly to prevent violence erupting on the route of the march as loyalists charged their lines.

When the republicans moved into position minutes before the parade was due to pass, the situation came close to boiling over.

A number of loyalists surged toward the demonstrators, prompting riot police to swoop in armoured Land Rovers. While loyalists and officers were involved in scuffles, a direct clash with republicans was averted.

The situation remained tense for around 10 minutes with loyalists chanting at the protesters, most of whom stood in silence, holding placards accusing the Army of involvement in the killings of Catholic civilians during the Troubles.

Senior republicans such as Sinn Fein Stormont junior minister Gerry Kelly and former IRA leader Bobby Storey were among the demonstrators, while loyalist paramilitaries, including Ulster Defence Association chief Jackie McDonald, were on the other side of the barriers.

Police Service of Northern Ireland superintendent Nigel Grimshaw said: "At the end of the day, those who wished to protest were able to protest and those who wished to support the parade were able to do that. Clearly, tensions were quite high but I am satisfied nobody was seriously hurt."

The flashpoint was near the start of the parade route and once the troops passed they continued on through the city where they were greeted by tens of thousands of supporters in front of City Hall.

After the parade, they made their way to the city's Waterfront Hall for a civic reception. Earlier, around 200 dissident republicans were at a protest march from west Belfast which was stopped by police near the Westlink junction with Divis Street.