Security alerts in Derry and west Belfast closed a school and a medical centre today with parts of a firearm and rounds of ammunition found in west Belfast and the Derry alert declared a hoax.
Police said British Army bomb disposal officers had examined a number of suspicious objects found by a member of the public in an alleyway on the Springfield Road this morning "and have declared them to be parts of a firearm and a number of rounds of ammunition".
All roads in the area have been reopened and the items taken away for further forensic examination.
This morning, St Columb’s College in Derry was evacuated following the discovery of a suspicious object in the Buncrana Road area. At aroumd 4pm police said the alert had ended the device had been an elaborate hoax.
It is understood the object had been found at around 9am at a gate at a rear entrance to the school used by pupils.
PSNI Inspector Vince Redmond said residents in nearby homes had been evacuated and Templemore Sports Complex "opened as a rest centre".
Sinn Féin MLA Karen Mullan condemned the alert, which caused “major disruption”.
“This is disgraceful and the last thing that pupils, teachers and parents need this morning, particularly as children return to the first day back after the break,” she said.
