Gardai are investigating a disturbance between what appears to have been two rival groups at the Spring Lane Halting Site in Cork this afternoon.

There have been reports that two groups clashed on the Ballyvolane site with suggestions emerging that one man had a gun.

A garda car leaving Spring Lane Halting Site this afternoon.Picture: Eoin English

Spring Lane was opened as an emergency measure almost three decades ago, for 10 families.

There are now 35 families living there with residents and Traveller advocacy groups regularly reporting on the poor electrical connections, flooding issues, lack of toilet facilities and a potholed road network on site.

Armed gardai at Spring Lane #Cork today after incident between rival groups on site. Tensions said to be running high #Cork pic.twitter.com/4KipcacXbA — Eoin English (@EoinBearla) June 26, 2017

Gardai remain at Spring Lane Halting Site #Cork after two groups clashed this afternoon. One man is reported to have had a gun. #3News. pic.twitter.com/WdB7OtR0gB — Paul Byrne (@PaulByrne_1) June 26, 2017

It is thought that the disturbance may well be linked to a court case earlier today in which a man was cleared by a jury of attacking another man on the halting site with a machete, cutting off one of his fingers.

Both parties in the case were aged around 30 and lived on the Spring Lane halting site.

More as we get it ...