The Chief Constable of Northern Ireland has led tributes to four of his officers killed yesterday in a horrific accident on a winding country road.

Sir Hugh Orde visited the scene of the accident this morning, and said: “This is an extremely sad day for the family, friends and colleagues who served with the police officers who lost their lives in this tragic incident in the early hours of this morning.

“The police family have lost four fine police officers in what are deeply tragic circumstances and our heartfelt condolences go out to their families. Our thoughts are with them as they struggle to come to terms with their loss.”

The officers’ 4x4 vehicle hit a wall and burst into flames on a stretch of coast road in south County Down as they responded to a call at 4am.

Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Judith Gillespie, who is responsible for the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) rural region, said the men were on their way to Rostrevor to help a fellow officer.

There was no evidence of a terrorist link to the crash which happened on the main Warrenpoint to Kilkeel road and there were no other vehicles involved, police said.

A senior officer is to investigate the fatal crash, which represents the largest loss of life for the force since the paramilitary ceasefires were called more than a decade ago.

The two full-time officers and two reservists have yet to be named but it is understood they are from the south Down area.

"[The car] seems to have gone out of control with tragic consequences. A number of eye-witnesses have given conflicting versions,” said Jim Wells, a local Democratic Unionist politician.

“They represent the whole spectrum of the Mourne community, there won’t be anybody who doesn’t know at least one of the officers.

“To make matters even more tragic a young baby has only just been born to one of the officers’ wives. They were family men, and it's going to be an extraordinarily difficult few weeks leading up to Christmas as people come to terms with what has been a truly dreadful event."

The Kilkeel police station is closed at weekends, and officers travel from Newry to carry out routine inquiries, most often related to alcohol-related complaints.

Basil McCrea, an Ulster Unionist spokesman and member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, said: “This is a dreadful tragedy.

"It is a stark reminder of the debt we owe the PSNI for the work they do for the community.”

Shaun Woodward, the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, said: “The deaths of four police officers in this terrible road accident when responding to a call is a profound tragedy for their families and the PSNI.

“The police do difficult and often dangerous work to protect the community and keep it safe. It is at times like this that the huge debt that we all owe them is brought home in a particularly shocking and cruel way.”

Two men and a woman also died in separate road accidents around Northern Ireland over the weekend and Environment Minister Sammy Wilson extended his sympathies to all those who had lost their lives.

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