Breandán Mac Cionnaith (centre) is the main spokesman for the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition

The Court of Appeal has reserved judgement in a bid by Garvaghy Road residents to challenge a decision to allow a controversial Orange Order parade to go down the predominantly nationalist road.

The deadlock over the proposed march in Portadown, County Armagh - opposed by residents of the Garvaghy Road - has lasted since Sunday 27 September.

The stalemate has reopened what was once the most bitter parading dispute in Northern Ireland, with stand-offs in the mid-to-late 1990s accompanied by riots, roadblocks and killings.

Three judges listened to almost four hours of legal arguments inside a packed courtroom in Belfast on Monday.

Residents are appealing a High Court judge's decision, made on 27 September, to refuse them leave to apply for a judicial review.

At the end of Monday's hearing, Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said the judges would work to a "swift time frame" but could not give a date for their decision.

Orangemen have made several attempts to walk along the Garvaghy Road over the past week - but have been prevented from doing so each time

Earlier, a lawyer representing Breandán Mac Cionnaith of the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition argued that the Parades Commission decision was flawed.

She said the commission "misdirected itself" when it came to assessing the potential for disorder as a result of the parade.

She said the approval of the parade has now expired - but added that the case was about whether or not the original decision was lawful.

On 25 September, the Parades Commission decided that the march could go ahead two days later with restrictions in place.

But the parade, from Drumcree Church into Portadown, did not happen due to a large protest on the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road.

First minister rejects call to resign over Drumcree row

During the first hour of the court proceedings on Monday, lawyers focused on the 12-page document published by the Parades Commission on 25 September announcing its approval of the parade and its reasons behind the decision.

At the centre of the case is how the commission dealt with the information it received from the Police Service of Northern Ireland ahead of the planned parade.

The residents' lawyer argued that the police's assessment of the potential for disorder was "much more nuanced" than outlined in the document, and the commission should have come to a different decision on the parade.

A lawyer for the Parades Commission told the court that the commission had not made a legal error in reaching its decision.

Bryson (centre) said the abuse Lockhart (left) had been subjected to was "scandalous"

Speaking after the hearing on Monday, Mac Cionnaith said the residents' lawyers "were very clear on what the situation was in relation to the parade" and he did not think they had "anything to regret so far".

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Carla Lockhart reiterated that the 35 Orangemen from the Portadown District were "no threat to anyone".

"We will continue to abide by the law," she said outside the court.

"It is a difficult day in Northern Ireland whenever we see law-breakers trying to flout and use the courts again... [it] really is quite staggering."

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister told reporters: "This week we have seen the rule of law on trial and it has been the rule of law against mob rule."

An uneasy peace – how a week of the Drumcree parade dispute has unfolded

At its peak, a crowd of 250 people had gathered outside the court on Monday.

At various points, members of the Orange Order delegation were the subject of heckles and abuse.

Comments were directed towards Lockhart and Allister as they arrived and left court.

As the Orange Order's legal adviser Jamie Bryson began speaking at a press conference after proceedings, a member of the crowd shouted over him.

The abuse directed at Lockhart over the past week was addressed by Bryson as he spoke to media.

He said: "The abuse this woman has taken is absolutely vile. This woman now requires protection.

"What has happened to this female politician is absolutely scandalous."

Kneecap visit Garvaghy Road to show support for residents

Orange Order march row goes to heart of ongoing divisions in Northern Ireland