UVF denies link to weapons cache

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Thousands of bullets were also discovered at the north Belfast home of Billy "Black Neck" Bell, who shot himself after battling cancer.

Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) spokesman Billy Hutchinson denied the discovery had any connection with the armed group, which has pledged to put guns beyond reach.

"These guns are categorically not linked to the UVF," he said. "He isn't a member of the UVF. This man ran a combat company."

Security sources have tied Bell to the UVF. The weapons expert, who was in his 50s, specialised in turning replicas into real arms.

His funeral was held from his Ballysillan Drive terraced home on Friday, where guns and ammunition were found all over the property and taken away by forensics experts to be tested for previous use. The victim was understood to have ran a paint-balling company.

Sinn Fein and the nationalist SDLP raised concerns over the haul. SDLP Assembly member Alban Magennis said: "It begs a lot of questions about the truth of the UVF statement that they have put arms beyond use.

"We don't know the full facts on this yet but it represents a very serious departure from the UVF's commitment to put arms beyond reach.

"To have an arsenal of weaponry suggests to me and most ordinary people that they are there for a specific use."

In May last year, the UVF effectively declared an end to its campaign of violence by announcing that the organisation was adopting a non-military and civilian role.