The leaning tyres of Belfast: Protestants pile up incredible bonfires as they prepare for inflammatory celebration of Battle of the Boyne

Huge tyre stacks more than 100-ft tall built ahead of Protestant celebration

Hundreds of fires will be set alight at midnight tonight



550 parades due to take place throughout Northern Ireland on Friday

Has previously sparked violent clashes between loyalists and nationalists



An extra 630 police officers will be drafted on to the streets

Dwarfing houses and trees, these enormous bonfire stacks have completely reshaped Belfast's skyline.



The huge tyre mounds, many of which are more than 100ft tall, have been built as the city nervously prepares for an annual Protestant loyalist celebration.



Hundreds of fires will be set alight at midnight tonight as Protestant loyalists commemorate the Battle of the Boyne.

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Massive: The skyline of Belfast has been completely altered by these enormous bonfires which have sprung up across the city in preparation for an annual Protestant loyalist celebration. A young man can be seen at the stop of this one

Huge: This bonfire is more than 100 feet high in the New Mossley area of Belfast. Hundreds of bonfires will be set alight at midnight Thursday as Protestant loyalists celebrate July 12

The annual demonstration sees thousands of Orange Order members and bandsmen go on parade across Northern Ireland - which has sparked serious rioting and violence in recent years between loyalists and nationalists.

A total of 550 parades are due to take place throughout Northern Ireland on Friday with 43 deemed to be contentious, resulting in hundreds of extra police officers been drafted on to the streets.

In recent years police officers have been battered with bricks, bottles and petrol bombs. Last year shots were also fired and a pipe bomb hurled at police lines in the Ardoyne.



The celebration marks the defeat of the Catholic King James, by the Protestant William of Orange in 1690, which was one of the major turning points in Irish history.

Taking place in1690, and known as the Battle of the Boyne, around 36,000 troops commanded by King William III defeated an army of approximately 25,000 troops led by King James II along the river Boyne near the town of Drogheda.

The victory of Protestant William over the forces of England's Catholic king created a Protestant ascendancy in the Emerald Isle - most notably in the Ulster region.

The battle took place on 1 July in the Julian calendar, which is equivalent to 11 July in the Gregorian calendar, and the celebration is held each year on the 12th.

Commemoration: The bonfires celebrate a major turning point in Irish history known as the Battle of the Boyne

Decorative: Union flags adorn this enormous tyre stack which will be set alight as loyalists celebrate July 12, remembering the defeat of the catholic King James, by the Protestant William of Orange in 1690

In Northern Ireland, the Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, the annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle.

On this night, large towering bonfires are lit - with Irish flags placed on top - in many Protestant, unionist and loyalist communities where it is also known as 'bonfire night'.

Sometimes stacked by their thousands, the tyres in such bonfires around the region cast a plume of fire - and thick, toxic smoke caused by the burning rubber - high into the night sky.

The PSNI chief constable has revealed he is drafting in an extra 630 police officers from forces across the UK to help keep the peace on the streets over the Twelfth.

Mr Baggott denied claims that the unprecedented move was an indication he was concerned about serious disorder in places like Ardoyne but said the scale of this year's Twelfth event was unique.

The 30 units of specially trained additional public order officers will be used as a 'strategic reserve' and will be deployed to less sensitive areas accompanied by an armed PSNI officer.

Unionist anger has intensified in recent days over a decision to ban an Orange Order parade past a sectarian flash point.

While Orangemen will march past the Ardoyne shops on the Crumlin Road on Friday morning on their way to the annual Twelfth demonstration, the Parades Commission adjudication body has banned them from taking the same route on their return journey in the afternoon.

The interface area has been the scene of serious rioting on the Twelfth in recent years.

Head for heights: This man adds the finishing touches to a huge bonfire in the New Mossley area of Belfast

Standing tall: The stack can be see through this tyre held by 12-year-old Jack Lindsay

The Orange Order has branded the commission's decision "ludicrous" but urged supporters not to react with violence.

However, the hardline collective has been widely blamed for orchestrating violence which has seen police battered with bricks, bottles and petrol bombs during violent clashes.

Shots were also fired and a pipe bomb hurled at police lines in Ardoyne last year.

The decision by the Commission is the first time it has ruled that the Orange Order cannot hold an evening parade past Ardoyne. It came after intensive talks with nationalist residents failed to reach agreement.

With many communities building the huge tyre stacks, not everything has gone to plan.

A 40ft stack of tyres collapsed on an estate 10 miles outside the city on Tuesday.

The structure, comprising more than 25 layers of tyres and pallets, came tumbling to the ground under its own weight, according to website UTV, in Ballycraigy, Antrim,

It is illegal to burn the tyres, which emit toxic fumes - and bonfire committee workers had previously removed stacks in the area on safety grounds.

This 40ft stack of tyres collapsed on an estate in Ballycraigy, Antrim, Tuesday. It is pictured just before it fell

Going down: The tyre stack can be seen leaning as it begins to fall

Wrecked: The pyre came crashing down just days before it was due to be lit

Their concerns are echoed by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), which advises those building and attending the bonfires to consider the risks.

'If we are called out to attend a bonfire-related incident, I am asking the community for their support to ensure that firefighters are able to carry out their job without fear of attack or harassment,' Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dale Ashford said.