A DECISION by the parades commission to reject an alternative route for an annual parade in Rasharkin on Friday has been labelled a �recipe for disaster�.
DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson last night said he was �deeply disappointed� that the parades commission decided to stick with its new decision for 2010, which prevents 40 loyalist bands from taking their usual return route back to their vehicles.
Yesterday representatives of the DUP, Ballymaconnelly Sons of Conquerors Flute Band and Sinn Fein met separately with the commission, but the bands proposal for an alternative route was rejected.
Late last night the band announced they would continue with the parade, within the parade commissions new restrictions.
A spokesman for the commission earlier said that in the absence of a local accommodation �the original determination is the most appropriate for this parade�.
But Mr Donaldson said the decision �to corral hundreds of bandsmen and their supporters� into the heart of the village close to protestors was �madness�.
Meanwhile, a leaked PSNI report on last years parade said that over twice as many protestors took part as were authorised.
Police said bandsmen were subjected to �a sustained torrent of verbal abuse from the protestors� and that golf balls, stones and bottles were thrown at bandsmen.
