Residents return to homes after security alert ends

A blue and yellow police car sits at the end of a lane that separates two terrace houses. At the other end of the lane, behind the car is another police car of the same colour and make sitting perpendicular to the lane. There is red and white tape in front of that car.

Two police cars remain at the scene at Golf Terrace

A security alert in County Londonderry has ended after police carried out a controlled explosion on a potentially viable explosive device.

The suspicious object was discovered in the Golf Terrace area of Magherafelt.

The alert was first declared on Saturday with homes being evacuated overnight. A police presence remained at the scene until Sunday afternoon.

The road has since reopened and residents have been able to return to their homes.

PSNI Det Sgt Reid said it had "been an extremely distressing experience for residents, who had to deal with the fear of this device in their community alongside the discomfort and inconvenience of being put out of their homes".

"The device has been taken away for further examination and detectives are keen to establish the circumstances surrounding this report."

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