Police in east Belfast recover 16 handguns and 800 rounds of ammunition in underground hide

COPS are jubilant after recovering the “biggest haul” of guns and ammunition in recent years.

The underground hide was found on Friday evening following an intelligence tip-off.

Inside the bunker Serious Crime Branch detectives found “16 modern semi-automatic handguns and in excess of 800 rounds of ammuniton”, said the PSNI in a statement.

Police first said a suspect object which was found on Friday evening on the Manse Road in the Four Winds area of Castlereagh.

Army technical officers were called to the scene and police closed Manse Road between Rocky Road and Garland Hill.

Now police have revealed the extent of the find.

The munitions haul has been taken away for forensic examination.

On Friday evening, a deadly a pipe bomb was found on Friday evening in County Antrim.

Police said device was discovered in an area around Rosetta Terrace in Rasharkin following a “proactive operation”.

Army bomb squad officers made it safe before removing it for further examination.