Less than 100 people turned out for the protest

FEWER than 100 people turned out for a protest in support of 'paedophile hunters' in Belfast on Saturday.

Organiers, Predator Catchers NI, had previously said they expected between 500 and 2,000 supporters to attend the event.

Posting later on social media the group said: "We are disappointed at the lack of support here today. Tens of thousands of followers and there’s not even a few hundred here to show support,” they wrote.

"There’s more people here from England and Dublin than from Belfast. Thank you everyone who has came to show your support."

Original plans saw the protest marching from city hall to the BBC in Ormeau Avenue. However plans to stage a picket were ditched at the last minute.

In February BBC NI reporter Kevin Magee was confronted by a group of self-styled paedophile hunters in a Belfast coffee shop. The group were apparently angry after he attempted to interview one of them earlier that day.

Police meanwhile have charged three self-styled paedophile hunters with a number of offences.

They were charged with with three counts of false imprisonment, three counts of intimidation, two counts of attempted intimidation, criminal damage and common assault.

A 24-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man were arrested in Ballymena and a 51-year-old man in Newtownabbey on Friday.

The 51-year-old man was also charged with possession of a class B drug and possession of a class C drug.

They are due in court next month.