Security alert at Derry count centre

The count in the Foyle constituency had to be suspended for a little over an hour  last night after a suspicious car was found…

The count in the Foyle constituency had to be suspended for a little over an hour  last night after a suspicious car was found abandoned close to the centre in Derry tonight.

The Templemore Sports Complex and some nearby houses were evacuated for safety reasons after an army bomb disposal team arrived at the scene to examine the vehicle.

A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) later said army technical officers inspected the vehicle and confirmed it contains a viable device.

The count continued after midnight when the safety cordon was reduced. Roads in the area have also reopened however the carpark remains closed.

READ MORE

When the counts resumed former SDLP leader Mark Durkan won with a majority of almost 5,000 from Sinn Féin's Martina Anderson.

Earlier this evening, police in Derry received reports of a bomb at Strand Road Station shortly after 10pm. The area was checked and the call was declared a hoax.