Two Belfast Bomb Alerts Continue

Two security alerts in Belfast are still in progress this afternoon, while another - in Co Londonderry - has been declared a hoax.

A suspicious van is being examined at the car park in Yorkgate Shopping Centre this afternoon.

Traffic is being diverted away from the area with a section of York Street closed as well as the lower part of Brougham Street, on the Tesco side of the complex. Investigations are ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Army is continuing to examine a suspicious van at Albertbridge Road, in east Belfast, close to Central Station.

The main NI hub for rail travel, Central Station has been closed as a result of the Friday alert.

However, train services are still running through the station, but no stops are being made.

On the roads though, the police are warning motorists to avoid the area around the major arterial route from the city centre towards east Belfast and Co Down.

Earlier, the police were also warning that two suspicious objects had been found in Co Londonderry.

The alert was in Meetinghouse Avenue, Maghera where the surrounding area had been cordoned off and a number of properties evacuated.

However, it has now been declared a hoax and the area has returned to normal.

(BMcC/JM)