'People eager to provide information'

She said: "A call came in to the Samaritans saying a device had been placed near the Model School, but there was no mention of what town.

"So police all over the north were out checking around all Model Schools when the bomb went off without further warning at Kilmaine Street, just where the police would have needed to put a cordon around the school.

"This was a despicable attempt to draw police in and then set off a bomb precisely where they would have been trying to keep other people back out of danger, and that is why the children were injured by debris from the explosion."

She added: "People are absolutely furious and no wonder. We need more firm political leadership and better intelligence methods to cope with this threat. A handful of dissidents are running rings around MI5 even though people are willing and indeed eager to provide information to the PSNI."