04/05/2004

Castlewellan is scene of two separate security alerts

A Co Down town was at the centre of two security operations today following a petrol bomb attack on a school and a suspect device found at a republican memorial.

In the first alert a petrol bomb was thrown at St Malachy's High School in Castlewellan early this morning.

No one was injured in the attack, however an English exam was disrupted as many pupils were unable to reach the school on time because of the security operation.

The school's Principal Nuala Cunningham described the situation as "unacceptable".

"There are 970 pupils at this school who have had their education disrupted," she said. "I am absolutely heartbroken that anybody would compromise the youth of Northern Ireland like this."

Not long afterward part of the town was cordoned off and traffic was diverted from the area after a suspicious device was found near a republican memorial in Lower Square.

Army bomb experts were called in and a controlled explosion was carried out on the device which was later declared a hoax.

(MB)

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