A weapons find close to the scene of a contentious Orange march in north Belfast averted serious violence and street disorder, a senior police officer has said.

Police recovered what they described as a weapons cache containing more than 80 spiked missiles and several crates of bottles they believe were to be used as petrol bombs.

They were found on the roofs of premises in Ardoyne and the police said they believed they were to be rained down onto police and civilians in the street below.

However, Sinn Fein assembly member Gerry Kelly denied this. The party said the spikes were devices to protect the premises from break-ins.

The find came amid tight security in the flashpoint area, and other interface areas of the city, for the main day in the Protestant marching calendar.

It appears that these items had been stashed there for an attack on the police, army and possibly the general public

Chief Inspector Colin Taylor

Hundreds of police and soldiers were in place at Ardoyne shops, the scene of serious clashes on 12 July last year, when Orangemen made their way back to north Belfast.

Chief Inspector Colin Taylor said the missiles seized in the area would have been used by republicans in an attack on police.

"These items were discovered in a search just before the Orange march passed the Ardoyne area this morning," he said.

"It appears that these items had been stashed there for an attack on the police, army and possibly the general public.

"There are things there that have been specifically made for nothing other than to injure members of the security forces.

"The discovery of the spiked metal implements is especially sinister."

On Thursday night, Assistant Chief Constable Alan McQuillan said he had information that republicans were planning to riot at Ardoyne.

Scenario

Mr Taylor said the find, along with others in the area in recent days, had proved Mr McQuillan correct.

"We are very concerned that there may be other stashes of weapons which we have not yet found," he said.

"Last year, we saw one of the worst riots there have been in Belfast for 20 years in this area and we are doing our best to avoid the same scenario this time around."

Earlier, Orange lodges and bandsmen made their way past a crowd of about 200 nationalist protesters in Ardoyne who were chanting: "End sectarian marches."

The police said they were pleased there had not been violence and appealed for the same restraint when the marchers made their way back later on Friday.