Enough ammunition to restart the conflict in the north of Ireland has “disappeared” from a PSNI police training centre in Antrim, according to a Crown Force statement.

A PSNI member was arrested and some of the weaponry recovered, but the force has refused to answer questions on the matter.

The ammo is believed to be for use in Glock 17 handguns and is believed to have been drained from PSNI stockpiles over a number of years.

It is feared some of the ammunition may already have been passed on to loyalist death squads.

Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Director in the north of Ireland, said there were “grave concerns about security and potential diversion into paramilitary and criminal hands”.

“This demands an independent investigation and full accountability,” he added.

SDLP justice committee member Patsy McGlone said it was “really disturbing news” and called on minister Naomi Long to launch an inquiry.

This latest scandal raises doubts over what controls, if any, the PSNI has over its own weaponry and renewed fears over the possibility of ongoing collusion between the PSNI and UVF/UDA death squads.

The issue was not addressed at the most recent meeting of the Policing Board last Thursday, where the PSNI’s use of ‘personal protection weapons’ was discussed.

It was revealed that members of the force routinely carry loaded guns in meetings with members of the public, including high-ranking politicians.

At the meeting of the Policing Board, Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly denied his party had requested the guns be removed - which he said the party is powerless to do - and said that the PSNI are ‘capable of making their own decisions’.

PSNI chief Jon Boutcher insisted the force’s use of its weaponry is “an operational matter” and has declined further questions on the issue.