The funeral of a murdered Loyalist Volunteer Force member has taken place in east Belfast under tight security conditions.

The police and Army are investigating a bomb alert near the family home of Stephen Warnock, 35, who was shot dead in Newtownards, County Down, on Friday.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan McQuillan said the police believe the murder was the result of an "inter-loyalist" dispute, although they were not sure what the motive was.

However, leading figures of both the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) as well as LVF members gathered at Warnock's home on the Old Holywood Road.

UDA man attacked

Warnock was shot while sitting in his BMW car with a friend and his three-year-old daughter when a gunman on a motorbike fired into the vehicle.

He died at the scene. The other man and his daughter were uninjured, although the child was treated for shock.

The car had been parked at Circular Road in Newtownards near the entrance to Regent House grammar school.

The police said two people were on the motorcycle. It was seen speeding away in the direction of Ards Shopping Centre.

Victim's brother targeted

On Monday night, a senior member of the UDA in east Belfast, Jim Gray, escaped a murder bid in the Garnerville area.

He is in a stable condition in hospital after being shot in the face.

Meanwhile, it is believed a brother of Stephen Warnock was the target of a gun attack early on Monday morning.

Shots were fired into the living room of a house at Invernook Park in the Holywood Road area. No-one was injured.