A loyalist terrorist weapons dump containing more than 70 guns and thousands of bullets has been uncovered in Belfast after police searched the home of a man who took his own life.

The arms haul is being linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force, which refused to get rid of its weapons when it called a ceasefire but claimed that it had put them “beyond reach”.

More guns were found in follow-up searches of lock-up premises in the greater Belfast area.

Police confirmed today that all the guns had been taken away to be examined by forensics experts.

Police would not comment on where the weapons were found but the funeral of the man, who died last weekend, was taking place this morning from his home in Ballysillan, north Belfast.

It is one of the biggest arms dumps ever found in Belfast. Ballistic tests will be carried out on every weapon to determine if they have been used in terrorist attacks.

The dead man was named locally as Billy “Black Neck” Bell, a former UVF prisoner who was a weapons expert. A local source said that Bell, who was in his 40s, turned replica guns into fully functioning weapons. Police are not treating his death as suspicious, but an inquest is likely to be held later.

A statement by police today said: "A substantial amount of guns and ammunition were discovered as part of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of a man in the north of the city at the weekend.

"During a follow up search of the man's house, more than 70 suspected guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition were discovered. All have been removed for forensic examination.

"A further small number of suspected firearms were also found in lock-up premises in the greater Belfast area."

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

Recruitment, military training and targeting had ceased, intelligence rendered obsolete and all guns "put beyond reach".

Reporters were threatened and told to leave the area this morning as the man’s funeral took place.

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