Shankill bombing: Remembrance walk on eve of anniversary

Nine Protestant civilians were killed in the IRA bomb attack

Hundreds of people have attended a commemorative walk in Belfast on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Shankill bomb.

Nine people were killed in the 1993 attack in Belfast, as well as one of the IRA bombers.

The Shankill bombing happened at Frizzell's fish shop on 23 October 1993.

Monday's procession stopped at the sites of five different bombings during the Troubles.

Organisers said it was an event for all to remember their loved ones.

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The walk started at the site of what had once been the Balmoral furniture shop.

It was bombed in 1971 and killed four people, including 17-month-old Colin Nicholl.

Jackie Nicholl said he was eternally grateful to the people of the Shankill road

His father, Jackie, told BBC News NI that he thinks about his son everyday.

"The people on the Shankill road are the only people who ever remember our child," he said.

"There were people on this road who got hurt digging with their bare hands trying to save people.

"I'll always be grateful to the people of the road who helped."

'I can still smell it, taste it, hear it'

Across the five explosions and shootings being commemorated, 26 people died including the bomber of Frizzell's fish shop.

Many more were injured.

At each spot, scriptures were read along with the names of those who died.

Wreaths were laid at the site of the 1993 Shankill bombing - the former site of Frizzell's fish shop

A hymn was played at the site of Frizzell's, which is now a credit union.

Former police constable Ian Millar was one of the first people at the scene of the Shankill bomb.

He attended the walk and said it was an atrocity he will never forget.

"To this day I can smell it, I can taste it, I can hear it," he said.

He said he had become close to the families of those whom he had pulled from the rubble.

"If nothing else has come out of this, at least there is that," he added.

The Bayardo Bar, the Four Step Inn, the Balmoral Furniture shop and the Mountainview Tavern attacks all took place in the 1970s.

Tuesday marks the 25th anniversary of the bombing of Frizzell's.