A CUMBRIAN police chief has been chosen to oversee a Northern Ireland investigation into possible coronavirus regulation breaches during a funeral of a senior republican.

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Webster will be overseeing the investigation which was launched after hundreds of people turned out to Irish Republican Army (IRA) member Bobby Storey’s funeral on June 30 in Belfast, despite government restrictions on how many people could attend outdoor gatherings.

There are concerns social distancing was not maintained as crowds lined the streets as the hearse drove by and large groups gathered to walk behind the hearse.

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and former leader Gerry Adams were among other high-profile party members at the service and a later commemoration event at Milltown cemetery.

Stormont health minister Robin Swann said the funeral must not become Northern Ireland's "Dominic Cummings moment".

Mr Swann said the scenes in Andersonstown, where roadsides were packed with people as the cortege carrying Mr Storey passed by, was a clear breach of Stormont restrictions.

Last week Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) revealed that the service’s chief constable had requested an external senior officer to oversee and direct the police investigation to ‘ensure independent oversight of the investigation.’

The deputy chief constable of Cumbria Constabulary was chosen by the chair of the National Police Chief Council, Martin Hewitt, on Saturday July 11.

In a statement PSNI said the investigation 'will also review the events leading up to the date of the funeral'.

“The Police Ombudsman is also considering a complaint from a member of the public regarding the Police actions leading up to the funeral on 30 June," the spokesman said.

Deputy Chief Constable Webster was appointed assistant chief constable of Cumbria in July 2017, before being promoted to the role of deputy chief constable in March 2018.

Previous to this he worked for the National Crime Agency, as well as the Serious Organised Crime Agency when it was first created in 2006.

He first joined the police in 1992, where he performed numerous roles for Greater Manchester Police.