06/12/2004

School children evacuated in security alerts

A north Belfast Primary School has had to be evacuated following a series of security alerts on Monday morning.

The children were caught up in the alerts in the Crumlin Road area of the city at the beginning of the school day. Around 300 pupils and staff of Mercy Primary School were prevented from entering through the front entrance and had to use the back door.

Army bomb experts have been dealing with the alerts after a security cordon was put in place shortly before 7am on Monday. This cordon has since been moved several times as Army Technical Officers examined a series of suspect devices.

So far, two of the devices have been declared elaborate hoaxes.

There are no further details at present.

(MB)

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