Police investigate two explosions in the north

Police in Northern Ireland are investigating two explosions from early this morning.

Police in Northern Ireland are investigating two explosions from early this morning.

An explosive device surrounded by nails exploded at a garage in Obin Street, Portadown, Co Armagh, shortly after midnight, damaging a wall and a petrol pump.

People living nearby complained that police had been slow to cordon the area off.

Local Sinn Féin councillor Mr Brian McKeown said the police delay was "disgraceful" and added: "There are two or three housing estates about here and a lot of people living in them and there's been nothing happening.

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A police spokesman said the area was cordoned off as soon as sufficient officers arrived.

"Although there was a police patrol in the area within five minutes of the reports, it was necessary in view of the current threat to await the arrival of further police resources before a cordon could be placed around the crime scene," he said.

Meanwhile officers were also investigating an explosion shortly after midnight behind a house in Wyndham Street, north Belfast.

British army bomb disposal experts had checked the area and recovered the remnants of an improvised device, said a police spokesman.

No-one was injured in either explosion.

PA