Londonderry: Principal condemns those behind hoax alert

The alert was in the Richill Park area of the Waterside

A principal has said he is disgusted that children were evacuated from a school during a hoax security alert.

Pupils and staff at Lisnagelvin Primary School in Londonderry were forced out on Friday.

Nothing untoward was found by police following searches in the Richill Park area of the Waterside.

Principal Colin Torrens told BBC Radio Foyle it is hard to understand how anyone would go deliberately out of their way to scare children.

"It's primary school children they are targeting here and it's disgusting," Mr Torrens said.

"Someone woke up this morning and thought they're going to put the fear of God into 580 primary school children."

Mr Torrens said that the children were busy celebrating a Royal-themed sponsored walk ahead of the King's Coronation on Saturday when they were notified of the security alert.

Parents and guardians of pupils were notified of the security alert and came to pick up the children early from school

He said their walk was disrupted and the children had to be evacuated to a nearby church.

Parents and guardians of the children were told about the incident and had to come to the school early to collect them.

Mr Torrens commended his staff for keeping all the children calm and reassured of their safety throughout the ordeal.

Both the primary school and the nearby park have since been reopened following the police safety operation on Friday, PSNI Supt Clive Beatty has said.

The senior officer thanked the public for their patience as officers worked to ensure the area was safe.