CLOSE CALL IN BOMB ATTACK

A DRIVER had a lucky escape during Tuesday night's bomb attack in the town.

She had been driving through the town centre when the device exploded close to the police station.

Her father explained: “She was driving through the town when it exploded. She heard the bang and saw the smoke when she was driving past the police station.”

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A solicitor's office bore the brunt of the pipe bomb attack which was obviously intended for the neighbouring police station.

A hole was blown in the shutter of GR Ingram’s office on the corner of William Street and North Street and a pane of glass in the front window was shattered.

Had someone been passing at around 11.30pm when the device exploded the consequences could have been much worse.

The area was cordoned off for a short time while police cleared away the debris. No damage was caused to the police station and the blast didn’t cause a major stir in the area until the morning after.

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“The first I heard about it was on the radio this morning,” said a North Street lady. “They never let up, do they?”

A woman from Wellington Street commented: “I didn’t know anything about it until I saw the news this morning.”

A Church Walk resident who heard the blast said: “I heard the bang and thought that’s a bomb. I heard the last Lurgan bomb - this was about a quarter of the noise. To tell you the truth I was scared.

“I was waiting for the police cars and sirens but nothing happened. I thought there would have been more of a response. I thought I must be wrong.”

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The bomb was heard by several residents on the other side of town. One Mourneview man told the ‘MAIL’: “I knew it was either a big one far away or something small in the town. I saw the helicopter up and judging by where it was I thought they must have hit the police station.”

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