'They're liars. How many guns have they stashed?'

"Welcome to loyalist Seymour Hill," says the writing on one wall at the entrance to the big Lisburn housing estate

"Welcome to loyalist Seymour Hill," says the writing on one wall at the entrance to the big Lisburn housing estate. There's a neat Union flag painted under that one. On another wall, there's an angrier message: "PSNI scum. Republican puppets. Loyal to Sinn Féin, not the queen." Susan McKay reports on local sentiment in Lisburn.

There's also a small wooden sign nailed on to an ash tree. "Christ died for our sins." This one is signed, "YCM." "I think that stands for Young Christian Men," says a young local man, waiting for his burger at Scooby's chip van. "It's been there for years."

There's a war memorial with poppy wreaths across the road, commemorating those who died in two world wars and "the recent conflict".

Most locals approached for comment in these parts are, unsurprisingly, disposed to be sceptical, if not downright dismissive, about IRA decommissioning. "Load of b******s," says the young man at Scooby's.

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"They're liars. How many guns have they stashed?"

The witness given by the Rev Harold Good cut no ice. "He said he saw it, did he? He better get away off to Specsavers."

During the trouble which followed the rerouting of an Orange parade in Belfast earlier this month, loyalists blocked the main road outside the estate.

A young woman rang the BBC's Talkback programme in tears. She said she was five months' pregnant and was driving her child home when she was stopped.

She said a man punched her in the face, while those around him looked on. Other drivers also complained of threatening behaviour.

"Load of b******s," says the young man.

A young woman in the queue beside him nods agreement. "I was on that protest," she says. "You have to stand up for your community."

Seymour Hill was also the place where, a few years ago, Brig Jackie McDonald's South Belfast UDA crucified a teenager who had been a habitual car criminal. He suffered serious injuries.

The young man and woman agreed the UDA played an important role in Seymour Hill. Should the loyalist paramilitaries follow the IRA's example and decommission?

"No way," says the young man. "The UDA protects this community. It doesn't cause any trouble. The trouble that was here this last week or two was caused by the police."

He says he is a member of the Royal Air Force.

A group of workmen are fixing a footpath. "Three of us are Protestants and one of us is Catholic," says one of them. "I'm the Catholic. But don't point at me," says another.

They all laugh. "Wouldn't you know I'm the Catholic - the only one round here doing any work?" he quips and they all laugh again. "It's good news the IRA has decommissioned," says one of the others. "It'll put pressure on the DUP to reciprocate.

"It's easy being the opposition but now they are in power and it's time we had local government back."

Another of the men shakes his head in disagreement. "I wouldn't trust the IRA," he says. "If this is for real, why wouldn't they put it on TV?"

An elderly man comes out with his messages from the small supermarket. From a car radio, local MP Jeffrey Donaldson can be heard saying the unionists are not convinced by Gen de Chastelain or by the the Rev Good.

"I think in Northern Ireland today, anything is worth a chance," says the old man.