Omagh: Weapons and ammunition found in dissident republican probe

The items discovered on Tuesday have now been taken away for further forensic examination

Suspected guns and ammunition have been discovered in Omagh as part of an ongoing investigation into violent dissident republican activity.

A police search was conducted in the Seskinore Road area of the County Tyrone town on Tuesday.

The items were recovered from an underground hide.

"A main line of inquiry is that the weapons may be linked to the New IRA," Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Det Ch Insp Hamlin said.

The weapons were recovered from a constructed hide which had been secreted in the ground

It comes almost a month after a senior PSNI detective, John Caldwell, was shot in front of his young son in a car park in Omagh.

The police believe the New IRA were behind the shooting.

Det Ch Insp Hamlin said the search showed that police will continue to work with communities "to disrupt the activities of this small group of people who are intent on using violence".

"There is no place for this type of activity and the vast majority of people in our communities want to live in a peaceful society," he added.

The items have now been taken away for further forensic examination

"We're grateful for the support of local communities, and are keen to encourage anyone with information, or concerns, to contact us," the senior officer said.

The items have now been taken away for further forensic examination.