PALLETS near a north Belfast bonfire site that a woman said she was storing at her home "for decking" have been removed.
Youths were spotted removing the stacks of pallets from the grounds of the property late on Wednesday night.
Pallets were later found yesterday morning at three locations nearby in the nationalist New Lodge area.
It's understood both police and Housing Executive contractors helped in removing the pallets after being alerted by residents.
Sinn Féin councillor JJ Magee, who was also involved, said residents "feel safer" following their removal.
For weeks efforts have been made to remove bonfire materials from the neighbourhood amid safety concerns from householders.
Hundreds of pallets have been seized, with many found stockpiled on concerned residents' property without their consent.
But The Irish News reported yesterday how one householder was refusing to give permission for public agencies to remove pallets from her yard.
Asked why she did not want the authorities to lift the pallets, she said they were "for decking".
The Housing Executive, which owns the property at Maralin Place, had said it would consider seeking legal advice.
Anti-internment bonfires are lit in some nationalist areas to mark the anniversary of the introduction of internment on August 9 1971.
Mr Magee said around 130 pallets were removed after being found in three locations – an alleyway, beside a tower block, and next to an electrical substation.
He thanked residents for alerting them to the pallets, and urged parents to ensure their children are not involved in bonfire collecting.
"The people in those houses and the tower block the pallets were beside feel safer now. These people who live where these pallets were being stored can relax a bit more," he said.
"I personally would like to thank the community for their great support and without them this wouldn't have happened."
Urging youths to stop collecting for a bonfire in the area, he added: "It's only wrecking the place where we love. The anti-social behaviour is making life a lot harder for people."
A Housing Executive spokesman said materials were removed "with full community support".
PSNI inspector Paul Noble said: “The physical removal of bonfire material is not within our remit, but we work with other agencies to support them as they carry out their duties.
“Contractors removed bonfire materials from behind Eithne House in Duncairn Parade and from a site in Victoria Parade. Materials were also removed from Lepper Street by members of the community.
“At all three sites, police were in attendance to ensure there were no breaches of the peace and no intimidation of workers or members of the public.”
There have been weeks of tensions over bonfires built in the city ahead of the Twelfth last month, as well as August anti-internment pyres.
Councillors on Wednesday night voted to allow Belfast council staff or contractors to remove materials from city bonfire sites.
But nationalists and unionists were split on the Sinn Féin motion, which was backed by 31 votes to 21.
Sinn Féin said the council had a "duty to act and deal with these unacceptable bonfires", but unionists accused the party of a "cultural war on the unionist community".
