“The death of Noah Donohoe has come as a terrible shock to the entire North Belfast community and all our sympathies must be with his mum, friends and extended family” Workers Party spokesperson Lily Kerr has said.

But she has condemned those who attempted to use Noah’s tragic disappearance to heighten community tensions with “stupid, hurtful and sectarian comments on social media”.

“I am appalled”, Lily said, “ at the way in which some individuals have attempted to hijack these tragic circumstances to further their own petty sectarian agendas and divert attention away from the efforts of the PSNl, the Community Search and Rescue Teams and the many, many  local people who, through their efforts, demonstrated the true nature of community co-operation.”

“It is unforgivable that, as a young and talented teenager loses his life in these heart-breaking circumstances, there are people in this community who want to view everything through sectarian glasses, attempt to create division and as a result devalue human life in favour of their tribalism”. Lily said.

“As our thoughts are with Noah’s family let them also be focussed on those who would bring yet further despair and suffering on this community through their blind sectarian bigotry. Neither should be forgotten” Lily concluded