Families forced out by viable devices

The area from Chestnut Grove and the roundabout on the Ballymena Road was cordoned off as Army Technical Officers dealt with the devices on a window sill after receiving a report at 4.50am.

The displaced families were accommodated in Garryduff Presbyterian Church hall.

Two controlled explosions were carried out by officers around 10 a.m. and by lunchtime the area had been made safe.

Detectives in Coleraine are appealing for information on 0845 600 8000.

Local MLA, Mervyn Storey, said the disruption to families mainly affected senior citizens and he said it was to be very much regretted that they had to be moved out of their homes on a Bank Holiday.

Mr. Storey said that one man had medical issues and required insulin while another was disabled.

“You can only begin to imagine how they felt having to leave their homes at such short notice. The police and Garryduff Church did all they could to minimise the problems,” Mr. Storey told the Times.

Mr. Storey said it was a blessing in one sense that the High School and a nearby Playgroup were both on holiday otherwise the disruption could have been far worse.

“You just wonder what all this is about,” Mr. Storey added.