LISTEN: Concern as children walk past viable pipe bomb in Glenavy

By Q Radio news

A number of people including children walked past a viable pipe bomb in the centre of Glenavy in county Antrim last night.

The device was left at a property on Main street shortly before 6pm forcing some residents to be evacuated.

Alliance councillor David Honeyford say if it had exploded - the blast could have had devastating consequences...

A viable pipe bomb's been recovered from a property in Glenavy in county Antrim.https://t.co/sKehYcRCBC

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) May 23, 2021

In a statement detectives appealed  for information:

"Police received a report that a suspicious object had been discovered outside a property on Main Street in Glenavy shortly before 6pm on Saturday evening.

Police and ATO attended the scene, closing Main Street and evacuating nearby residents, whilst the object was examined.

The object was later declared as a viable pipe bomb type device and removed for further forensic tests.

The scene was closed, residents allowed to return to their homes and Main Street re-opened at around 10:45pm.

The Mayor for the area Councillor Nicholas Trimble says those who left the device clearly had no concern for people's lives:

Detective Constable Chris Simpson said:

“We are very fortunate that no-one was injured in this reckless attack and I would appeal to anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the Main Street area, or anyone who was driving in this area between 5:40pm and 6pm and who has dash-cam footage, to contact detectives in Lisburn on 101 quoting reference number 1510 22/05/21.

You can also submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.”

(Archive image of a terrorist pipe bomb)