The number of new pupils enrolling at a Catholic primary school which was at the centre of a bitter sectarian dispute has fallen by 50%.

The chairman of the board of governors of Holy Cross Girls' Primary School in Ardoyne said if the trend continued it could raise a question-mark over the long term viability of the school.

Father Aidan Troy also warned of a growing crisis in education caused by the on-going street disturbances across Belfast.

A three-month protest by loyalist residents at a nearby interface last year saw pupils being escorted to the school by the security forces on a daily basis.

The board of governors at the school met on Wednesday night to discuss the school's location.

Father Aidan Troy: "We will be monitoring the situation"

The dispute centred on alleged attacks on Glenbryn homes by the larger nationalist community in Ardoyne.

With just two weeks left in the current school year, it has emerged that only 19 children have enrolled for primary one for the new term at Holy Cross in September.

That is approximately half the number which had enrolled for the school at this time last year.

Father Troy said it was clear that the loyalist protest outside the school gates had a "significant impact" when local parents were deciding where to send their children to primary school.

He warned that if numbers were to continue to fall, questions would have to be asked about whether the school could continue to exist in its present location.

Security measures

"Obviously it is critical, because if you have a drop of the proportion that we have here that is very serious," he said.

"But there is a difference between having a critical situation and deciding it is not worth trying to do anything about it."

The Holy Cross dispute was eventually resolved in November with a package, backed by the first and deputy first ministers, of enhanced security and social measures for the area.

However, a delay in implementing the proposals, in particular the realignment of the Ardoyne road to keep the communities apart, has led to tension in recent weeks.

Loyalist residents said they were considering their position but said resuming the protest at the school was not an option.

Further measures to resolve the issue were accepted by loyalists but rejected by nationalist residents.