Republican leaders yesterday visited Belfast's Maze prison to tell IRA prisoners that forcing concessions from the British government through the hunger strike was futile.

Although six IRA men are still refusing food, five of their families have made it clear they will authorise medical treatment once they lose consciousness.

Richard McAuley, of Provisional Sinn Fein said "unless prisoners can find a means of overcoming the intervention of relatives they must reassess the hunger strike".

Bobbie Sands began the protest in March. He threatened to fast to death unless terrorist inmates won concessions over living conditions.

Mr Sands died on 5 May. The other Republican prisoners in the H-Block of the Maze Prison then issued a statement in which they vowed to continue the hunger-strike unless their demands were met.

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Humphrey Atkins accepted back in July that negotiation was possible but only if the hunger strike was called off.

This and later moves were rejected by the prisoners. Ten inmates have since starved themselves to death in seven months of continuous protest.

Speculation is now focusing on the new Ulster Secretary James Prior. He may be willing to meet some of the prisoner's demands if it is clear that the strike is over.

The strikers have a number of key demands. They want the right to wear their own clothes, the right to refrain from prison work and the right to associate freely between other Republican prisoners.