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Schools in Lurgan and Holywood closed by bomb alerts 'Viable explosive device' found in Lurgan security alert
(35 minutes later)
Two schools in County Armagh were closed because of a bomb alert. A security alert in Lurgan has ended after police said a suspicious object was a "viable explosive device".
A second alert closed Holywood Nursery School in County Down. It ended after a suspect object found on Church Road was declared an elaborate hoax. The alert in the Sloan Street area closed two schools, and caused widespread disruption in the County Armagh town.
Ceara Special School and Carrick Primary School in Lurgan were closed following the discovery of a suspicious object. Police said they believe dissident republicans were responsible for planting the device.
A number of homes were also evacuated. Sloan Street has been reopened but the alert continues. A second alert in Holywood, County Down, earlier on Friday, was declared an elaborate hoax.
All roads in the Church Road area in Holywood have been reopened and residents have been allowed to return to their homes. Ceara Special School and Carrick Primary School in Lurgan were closed during the alert. A number of homes were also evacuated.
Army bomb disposal experts are still examining the suspicious object in Lurgan. Ch Insp Anthony McNally, PSNI area commander for Craigavon, said: "This device was designed to kill or maim anyone close by, police officers or local people alike.
The principal of the special needs school in Lurgan, Dr Peter Cunningham, said the disruption had been "immense". "Those responsible showed blatant disregard for the local community and put the lives of local people, indeed local children at risk.
"We are very fortunate no-one was killed or injured.
"I would like to thank the local residents and wider community in the area for their patience and support throughout this operation."
The principal of Ceara Special School, Dr Peter Cunningham, said the disruption had been "immense".
"We were able to prevent the children coming to school because we have a texting service, so we were able to do that very quickly when the PSNI told us to close the school," he said."We were able to prevent the children coming to school because we have a texting service, so we were able to do that very quickly when the PSNI told us to close the school," he said.
"But by that time our children had their uniforms on waiting in their houses all over the Lurgan, Craigavon and Portadown area."But by that time our children had their uniforms on waiting in their houses all over the Lurgan, Craigavon and Portadown area.
"Our children just don't understand - when they get their uniforms on, it's time to go to school."Our children just don't understand - when they get their uniforms on, it's time to go to school.
"When the bus doesn't come our children, especially those who work under a very strict routine become very anxious, so we have lots of anxious children and equally anxious families.""When the bus doesn't come our children, especially those who work under a very strict routine become very anxious, so we have lots of anxious children and equally anxious families."
Holywood Nursery School was closed during the alert in the County Down town. It was caused by a suspicious object that was found in a hedge in Church Road.