Belfast bomb attack, The IRA, dissident republicans

Belfast bomb attack PSNI

A group of primary school age children reportedly found an unexploded bomb in Belfast last night and carried it to a local police station.

The incident happened near the Woodbourne PSNI station in Stewartstown Road in west Belfast just after 10.30pm last night.

Two bombs were thrown at the police station, one of which failed to detonate.

The scene was cordoned off and British army bomb experts were called to the area, which remains sealed off this morning.

According to Democratic Unionist councillor Brian Kingston eyewitnesses reported that a group of primary school-age children had lifted one of the bombs.

He said: “A group aged around nine, 10, 11, mixed boys and girls, came round the side of the police station carrying an object.

“They placed an object on the ground and they scarpered.

“What had happened was that the children had found a second device at the rear of the police station and had decided to carry this round the side of the station.”

Mr Kingston added: “This is a combination of childhood innocence and a terrorist attempt to maim and kill.

“The thought of what could have happened to those children if that device had exploded - they could have been ripped apart- it doesn’t bear thinking about.”

A police spokesman said there were no reports of any injuries or damage.