POLICE say a viable device was found on the windowsill of a house which caused a major evacuation of a residents home and local houses.

A controlled explosion was carried out on the device which was found at the house on the Ballymena Road in Ballymoney, Co Antrim.

The alert caused the evacuation of a number of houses and disruption to residents of a nearby care home.

They have been allowed to return to their homes and the road has been re-opened.

Parts of Kilraghts Road and Garryduff Road were also closed for a time until the area was declared safe for motorists and pedestrians.

Local DUP MLA Mervyn Storey condemned those behind the device saying they needed to be caught and brought to justice.