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The explosion of a viable device left in a residential area of Co Antrim could have been \u201cdevastating\u201d, police have said.<\/p>\nThe explosion of a viable device left in a residential area of Co Antrim could have been \u201cdevastating\u201d, police have said.<\/p>\n
A security alert was sparked on Saturday afternoon following a report of a suspicious object in Felden Place, Newtownabbey.<\/p>\n
The area was sealed off as police and army bomb experts launched an investigation.<\/p>\n
Residents were evacuated from the street, which is close to the Abbey Center on the outskirts of Belfast.<\/p>\n
The security alert ended on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n
A PSNI spokesman said a viable device had been found.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice and ATO attended the scene, following the report of a suspicious object in the area,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe object, which has been declared a viable device, was made safe and taken away for examination.<\/p>\n
\u201cResidents have now been allowed to return to their homes.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cWe\u2019re grateful to local people for their patience. Families had to leave their homes, having their afternoon disrupted, while we worked to make the area safe.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost importantly, it\u2019s fortunate that no-one was physically injured. The consequences of the attack could have been devastating.<\/p>\n