Murderers Stephen McParland and Alison McDonagh on the run together

Stephen McParland and Alison McDonagh have spent years in jail for murder

Two convicted murderers from Northern Ireland are on the run and police believe they are together.

Alison McDonagh, 49, and Stephen McParland, 54, absconded while on temporary release from jail.

McDonagh was imprisoned for a murder committed in 2004; McParland received his conviction for a killing in 1997.

They were last seen at Lanyon Place train station in Belfast at about 13:45 GMT on Saturday and police believe the pair are still in each other's company.

The Belfast to Dublin train service leaves from Lanyon Place and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has contacted An Garda Síochána (Irish police force).

McDonagh is about 5ft 2in (157cm) in height and of stocky build with auburn hair and green eyes.

She has two tattoos, including the words "mum" and "dad" on the underside of her right forearm.

McParland and McDonagh were last seen at Lanyon Place train station in Belfast on Saturday

Police said she was last seen wearing a sky blue-coloured puffa jacket and light-coloured leggings and was carrying bags.

McParland is described as being about 5ft 10in (178cm) tall and of medium build with blue eyes and balding, "dirty-fair" hair and has a tattoo on his left arm.

He was last seen wearing a black hooded coat and grey trousers and was pushing or carrying a large amount of luggage.

Police have not been able to locate the prisoners in spite of attempts to contact them.

Detectives said anyone who has seen the pair or who knows of their whereabouts should not approach them but instead contact police.

They also appealed to McDonagh and McParland to hand themselves in.

According to the Department of Justice, McDonagh was on a pre-release scheme and McParland was on pre-release testing.