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Suspicious package found near funfair sparks security alert

BBC A police officer stands with his back to the camera. He is in uniform and standing beside a police car. Police tape can be seen in front of buildings in the background.BBC
The package was discovered on Tuesday afternoon

Police are dealing with a security alert at Ebrington Square in Londonderry's Waterside.

It follows the discovery of a suspicious package at about 15:20 GMT on Tuesday, police said.

No roads are closed but police have said a nearby business premises has been evacuated.

Derry's Peace Bridge, which connects Ebrington to the city centre, remains open while a Halloween funfair at the site is also operating as normal.

In a post on social media, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA Julie Middleton said it was not yet known if the suspicious package was "a legitimate threat, a hoax, a mistaken item or otherwise".

"Very worrying nonetheless," Middleton said.

Waterside Ulster Unionist councillor Darren Guy told BBC News NI that he hoped the alert would end soon.

"This is only causing disruption for the businesses affected and for the many young families who will be at Ebrington for the funfair," he said.

"Whether this is a hoax or not, this is not what we should be talking about in a week when tens of thousands of people will be coming to the city for the Halloween festival."

A spokeswoman for Stormont's Executive Office, which owns the Ebrington site, said it was aware of "the ongoing situation" and "would ask the public to follow the advice" from police.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said an update would be provided in due course.