NORTHERN Ireland's new Chief Constable, Ronnie Flanagan, warned last night that the loyalist ceasefire was in a ``fragile'' condition.

He spoke out as Irish Deputy Prime Minister Dick Spring said the loyalist paramilitary death threat against leading Portadown loyalist Billy Wright could prompt the exclusion of the fringe loyalist parties from the multi-party talks due to resume early next month.

At the same time Progressive Unionist Party leading member Billy Hutchinson revealed he had been warned by the RUC that rebel UVF men in Portadown, County Armagh, were plotting to kill him.

Mr Flanagan said the loyalist ceasefire was ``fragile at the moment but it is holding, and I would hope that it would continue to hold because there is no place whatever for violence, it serves no end whatever''.

On the second anniversary of the IRA ceasefire, abandoned in February after 17 months, Mr Flanagan said he had no information to suggest its restoration was imminent.

Mr Spring, who is to meet Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew next week, warned that if the threat against Mr Wright was carried out it would cause ``enormous difficulties'' for the multi-party talks.

Whether the fringe loyalist parties continued to attend would have to be decided, depending on events, when the talks resumed.

Meanwhile, Mr Hutchinson said he had been told of the threat to his life at the start of the month, soon after the UVF leadership ordered the disbandment of its disgruntled Portadown unit.

He said: ``On August 2, I was informed by the police that my life was in danger - that I was going to be killed - by supporters of the Portadown unit.''

With tensions running high there was concern that parades by thousands of members of the Royal Black Institution at various venues across Northern Ireland today could spark trouble.

Last-ditch efforts to resolve a number of contentious parades were continuing but extensive damage to the Lurgan, County Armagh, headquarters of the Blackmen hardened their attitudes.

They are convinced it was caused by republican arsonists. Mr William Logan, Imperial Grand Registrar of the institution, said he had no doubt the fire was started deliberately. When he saw the damage it was ``with a deep sense of anger''.

He added: ``The Black institution in recent weeks, in the face of many situations of provocation, have tried to meet people's concerns, have tried to work for the benefit of the community. Is this the thanks we get for it?''

The RUC had banned Blackmen from parading down Belfast's Ormeau Road today and the institution and residents of the nationalist village of Bellaghy, County Londonderry, have reached agreement on their parade.

But in Pomeroy, County Tyrone, and Newry, County Down, agreements have yet to be made and protests could be held.

Amid all of this Mr Ronnie Flanagan takes over the RUC - recognised as the most difficult policing job in the UK.

Following his appointment by the Northern Ireland Police Authority, he pledged to make building relations between his force and the community his top priority.

The 47-year-old shipyard worker's son, who has been Deputy Chief Constable of the RUC for a year, is thought to be the youngest chief in the history of the force.

Mr Flanagan, who was appointed yesterday and takes over from Sir Hugh Annesley at the start of November, said Northern Ireland could not withstand another summer of violent protests and clashes over contentious parades.

Rebuilding community relations and trust in the aftermath of the widespread civil unrest following the Orange Order stand-off at Drumcree last month was now the force's top priority, he said.

But Democratic Unionist leader the Rev Ian Paisley claimed Mr Flanagan did not have the support of the majority of his officers. Morale, he said, had nose-dived after the Drumcree stand-off.

``He has got to prove himself. The Unionist population will be keeping a very close scrutiny on what he is doing.''

Ulster Unionist Party leader, David Trimble, said there had been a serious lack of leadership in recent years and it was up to Mr Flanagan to repair that. He would have to build up morale in the force.

SDLP West Belfast Councillor Alex Atwood said the RUC was mistrusted by the nationalist population after what happened over the summer.

``In order for that trust to be re-established the nature, the policies and practices of the RUC have to be purged.

``Most people would conclude that Ronnie Flanagan has shown evidence of edging the RUC forward.

``But for nationalists and others there has to be a leap forward in terms of policing in Northern Ireland. On that challenge he will be judged by the nationalist people and he has yet to prove his worth.''

Mr Flanagan, speaking at a news conference in Belfast to announce his appointment, acknowledged nationalist perceptions of the RUC were severely damaged during the summer and pledged ``more aggressive'' moves to make the force attractive to Catholics.

But Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams dismissed Mr Flanagan's appointment as ``irrelevant''.

He said Mr Flanagan had been in the leadership of the RUC at the time of Drumcree.

``The behaviour of the RUC on the Garvaghy Road and its partisan behaviour during the summer have reinforced the widespread view among nationalists that the force has no future and must be disbanded.''