Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SCHOOLKIDS FORCED TO FLEE ALERT
‘Suspicious device ‘ at gate a hoax
PUPILS and staff had to be evacuated from a school yesterday following the discovery of a suspicious device.
More than 1,400 kids and over 50 employees at St Columb’s College in Derry were forced to return home after police arrived on the scene and launched a security alert.
A number of properties in the Slievemore area of the city were also evacuated.
Templemore Sports Complex was opened to those forced to leave their houses.
Army bomb experts and police remained in the area for much of the day, with sniffer dogs and armed police also called to the scene.
The device was later declared an elaborate hoax.
Elsewhere, a number of roads and a medical centre were closed during a security alert in the Springfield Road in West Belfast.
A PSNI spokesman said: “Police and ATO examined a number of suspicious objects which were found by a member of the public in an alleyway this morning and have declared them to be parts of a firearm and a number of rounds of ammunition.
“All the items have been removed for further forensic examination and all roads in the area have been re-opened.”
Speaking yesterday, St Columb’s College principal Finbarr Madden said: “It was ver y concerning for staff, pupils and their parents.
“Around 9am we became aware of a suspicious object just outside the back gate of the school, which some of our staf f and pupils would use.
“This object was right beside the back gate so as soon as we became aware of it, we got in contact with the authorities and they asked us to keep people away from the area as best we could. Whenever the PSNI arrived and examined the object, they asked us to evacuate the school.
“It wasn’t a particularly big object. It was th e si ze of a S o ny Wal k ma n , c o v e re d in black tape with wires coming out of one end of it.
“There l ooked to have been batteries on the side of it.
“Hopefully it i sn’t a v i abl e device but it was left there with the knowledge it would cause disruption to 1,400 pupils. There has to be a better way than this.”
The recent alert comes following a number of incidents last week when two viable devices in the Shantallow area were found.
Insp Vince Redmond said: “I want to thank the local community for their understanding and patience.
“Those involved showed a complete di sregard to public safety and the education and welfare of those pupils impacted.”