by Mickey Ferry
A suspicious object discovered in the Lisnafin Park area shortly before 1pm on Tuesday was declared a hoax later that evening.
After being alerted by a member of the public, Police cordoned off the area around the object, which was close to a group flats, while a small number of people were asked to leave their homes as a precaution.
Many residents opted to remain in their homes but residents returning to the area were refused entry to their homes while tests were being carried out on the suspicious object.
One resident said, "I've just come up from the town and have now been told I can't get into my flat.
"Only part of the area behind the flats was cordoned off when I left but when I returned the entrance to the street to the right of the flats was cordoned off too. It appears that most people are content enough to stay in their homes but those of us outside can't get in."
We spoke to one resident who preferred to stay in his flat. "The Police informed me about what was going on but I was happy enough to stay where I was. The fact that we weren't forced to leave made me realise that it's most likely a hoax.
"Nobody else seems too worried and at the end of the day there has been a lot of these bomb-scares over the past few months and they always turn out to be nothing," he said.
Another resident said, "I've just returned from work and I'm looking at my neighbours sitting out in their gardens watching what's going on yet I'm being told that I can't get into the street while the Police check the object out."
As tests on the suspicious object were being carried out by army technical officers, residents from the houses to the right of the flats looked on.
"When the hoax was declared the cordon was eventually lifted at approximately 8pm.
A spokewoman for the PSNI said, "We can only advise residents on what course of action to take in these instances and while some were willing to leave their homes while tests were being carried out there is nothing we can really do if others are content to stay where they are."
