Tony Blair's bid to restore the power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland backfired spectacularly last night despite the IRA decommissioning more weapons and explosives than ever before.

Furious Ulster Unionists refused to sign up to a deal, claiming the disarmament move lacked sufficient transparency.

Mr Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who waited at Hillsborough Castle, believed they were within minutes of reaching a huge political breakthrough in advance of new elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly on November 26.

Last night, Mr Blair insisted the elections would still go ahead after Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble declared his dissatisfaction with a report by General John de Chastlelain.

Hours earlier, the general had witnessed the IRA put beyond use another consignment of automatic weapons, machine guns and explosives.

The General, head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD), refused to disclose details because of the IRA's demand for confidentiality.

Unionists, who had expected a full list of what and how much weaponry hidden in secret dumps was decommissioned, demanded an immediate explanation from Mr Blair - and in the meantime said they were putting the process on hold.

Outside his party headquarters last night, Mr Trimble declared: "As a result of what the IICD has done we probably have less confidence in the process than we had an hour ago."

It was a shattering blow for Mr Blair and Mr Ahern which left a carefully choreographed plan involving both men, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, Gen de Chastelain and Mr Trimble, an embarrassing shambles.

Last night, Mr Blair broke away from frantic behind-the-scenes talks to declare he was confident of finding a way through despite the political parties needing "a few more days" to resolve their differences.

He said: "We are very, very close to what would be quite a historic day in Northern Ireland."

However, Mr Adams said he did not know how a resolution could be found. "I do not know how when one party unilaterally moves to suspend the sequence, how this can be put back together again in the short term."

Mark Durkan, leader of the SDLP, said: "What we had this morning was hope. By this afternoon hype, and now this evening it's a debacle."

Hype and hope - Page 2