An Independent Councillor has hit out at a Loyalist parade in Newtownbutler on Friday night.

Councillor Gerry McHugh claims the bands caused disruption on roads it was not agreed they could use, and that there were more bands than the 15 which was indicated would participate.

The Councillor said he has received numerous complaints from residents of the town about the disruption caused in terms of roads being blocked, and also excessive noise in the area which continued until after 11pm.

He said: "We did have a lot of contention in the past over parades in Newtownbutler and we don't want to see that again."

However, when he raised this matter at a meeting of Fermanagh District Council, a number of his colleagues argued this public forum was not the place for the debate, that residents in the area regularly work together on this issue and should be allowed to resolve it themselves.

Ulster Unionist Councillor Tom Elliott, said he had attended the parade and he felt it had gone off in 'a most dignified manner'.

He said bands had complied with a request not to congregate on the road and had stayed on the pavement until they stepped off to parade.

Mr Elliott said while there are no parade commission restrictions placed on this march there were parades commission observers present on the night.

He added: "I hope this is not just people trying to cause disruption. I'm sure the organisers would have liked to parade more in Newtownbutler but they accepted what had been agreed."

Sinn Féin Councillor Brian McCaffrey said there is considerable negotiation over this parade at a local level, and said to the best of his knowledge the parade had gone off in 'good faith' and he had heard no complaints about it.

He added: "There are a number of people involved in negotiations, and to have it trashed out in this Council Chamber will do it no favours at all."

SDLP Councillor Fergus McQuillan who lives in the area said this issue "would be much better to be resolved without being brought forward here." He explained he had gone into Newtownbutler on Friday night and believed there were 28 bands marching, instead of the agreed 15.

He also said some of the roads had been blocked by the parade after the agreed time, and said several people had complained to him and these issues will be looked at.

The vice-chairman of the Council Robert Irvine agreed the matter would be better dealt with if it could be resolved locally.

A spokesperson for the Police Service explained that while the parade had run on longer than agreed, overall it was a peaceful night. He said: "The parade on Friday night was an agreed one, following discussions between the organisers and residents of Newtownbutler.

The bands gathered at the agreed location and the parade through the main street lasted approximately 40 minutes, from 9pm to 9.40pm.

"The bands then paraded out of the village, and returned again to the outskirts. This was at a later time than had been agreed. The parade was peaceful, with no disorder," he continued.

"As is routine, a police report is being prepared for the Parades Commission, which had representatives in the village on Friday night.

A spokesperson for the Parades Commission confirmed they had observers in the village, he said they do not comment on parades, but indicated if there had been any breeches then this could have implications when it came to agreeing future parades.