Belfast City Hall Alert Declared Hoax

A security alert at Belfast City Hall has been declared a hoax.

During the routine scanning of mail, a suspect package was discovered and army bomb experts were called to the scene at 11am.

According to a statement from the council, the package was addressed to Belfast City Council and not to any individual.

Staff worked in offices at the west side of the building during the security alert, which saw one public tour cancelled and the Bobbin coffee shop closed.

The whole building was re-opened three hours later, after the alert was declared a hoax at about 2pm.

In separate incidents, suspicious packages are being investigated at Castlewood Park in Dervock and McArthur Avenue in Ballymoney.

A number of properties near both cases have been evacuated.

(NE/GK)