Saturday December 15 th , 2001

The parents of two boys killed by an IRA bomb eight years ago will tonight shake hands with Martin McGuiness, a former commander in the organisation.

Colin and Wendy Parry's son Tim died in the blast in Warrington in 1993 and Wilf and Marie Ball lost son Jonathan.

They will meet the Sinn Fein deputy leader, who is now Northern Ireland 's Education Minister, before an advent concert organised to promote peace and build bridges.

The private meeting is thought to be the first time that McGuiness has met relatives of victims of Republican terrorist outrages in Britain .

Mr Parry said he had mixed feelings about the meeting that will take place at the Tim Parry and Jonathan Ball Young People's Centre, opened last year in their memory.

He said: "I totally disapprove of his past but the fact is he is now an elected politician and a prominent individual in the future of Northern Ireland so it is important to meet him.

We will be talking about personal matters as well political issues.

I have met several active IRA members before-I met the Brighton bomber Patrick Magee last weekend-but this is the first time I have met one who has become a politician. I imagine this will be a one-off opportunity to speak to him so it is vital we have the chance to meet."