Army bomb disposal robot being used to examine suspicious object at Nutts Corner roundabout in Co Antrim

ARMY bomb squad officers have defused two pipe bombs during a security alert in County Antrim.

The bombs were found in a holdall style bag a police patrol in a lay-by on the Belfast Road at Nutts Corner on Friday evening.

The are was closed over night while Army technical officers examined the devices before making them safe.

Both devices have been taken away for further forensic examination and all roads have been reopened.

Police have appealed for witnesses to contact them on 0845 600 8000.

Those who left the devices have been condemned by local politicians.

Alliance Party councillor Alan Lawther said: “I utterly condemn the people who left those bombs there that could have been found by a passerby.

“There’s plenty of people park on their way to the airport, sit in for a while before going to pick someone up, and they could have come to harm.

“Innocent people could have come to harm – it is totally irresponsible behaviour.”

The discovery of the devices came less than 12 hours after dissident republicans tried to kill a retired PSNI detective with an undercar booby trap bomb.