House and car damaged in bomb attack

The device exploded at around 1.30am on Monday morning at Spruce Meadows and caused extensive damage to a car and also damaged the front of the house.

Seven people, two adults and five children, were in the home at the time but there are no reports of anyone beong injured.

Army technical officers examined the scene and removed the remains of the explosive device for further examination.

A number of nearby houses were evacuated for a short time. Up to 20 families were shifted from their homes.

The police cordon surrounding the house has now been removed and the damaged car, a white Mercedes, has been taken away for further examination.

Police are appealing for anyone with information on the attack to come forward.

SDLP Foyle MLA Mary Bradley has condemned those responsible for the pipebomb attack, saying: "The people who carried out this attack have no respect for life or the people of the Spruce Meadows area of Culmore.

"Those responsible hurled a pipebomb into this house while a family, including five children, were sleeping and it is a miracle that no one was killed or seriously injured.

Calling for those with information to go to the police, shwe added: "We don't need this and we don't want this. The people of Culmore certainly don't want this."