Northern Ireland's police chief has expressed confidence that his officers can cope as the Army's role in the province ends at midnight.

Sir Hugh Orde said there had been no reliance at all on military back-up for many months as Operation Banner - the longest campaign in British military history - ceases after 38 years.

He said: "We have been fortunate to be able rely on additional resources. We don't need them any more."

Sir Hugh continued: "For many months now we have not relied at all on our military colleagues for support to deliver normal policing.

"Indeed, for the past two years we have not deployed any military during the marching season - in stark contrast to 2005 when over 1,000 military colleagues were right on the frontline working very hard with my officers in some of the worst rioting we have seen in the history of Northern Ireland."

The IRA's decision to put down arms and the massive strides towards a normal society means troops are no longer needed on Ulster's streets.

The Army will still have a presence in the region - with no more than 5,000 troops garrisoned there as they are in towns and cities across the UK - but will instead be preparing for duties in such places as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sir Hugh added: "It suits us, it suits the military - they are very busy in other theatres of war. This place is very different now. It has never been a war, but what we have now is a situation where normal policing can continue."

However, he said the Police Service of Northern Ireland has to be mindful that there still is a "very real dissident republican threat" to the province.