PRINCE Edward has defied hoax bombers and continued with an official engagement in Belfast despite a security alert at the building he visited.

Army Technical Officers examined a suspicious object found at the Titanic building in the east of the city and declared to be “nothing untoward”.

The operation meant Prince Edward, arrived a few minutes later than planned.

He was given a tour of the site that commemorates the world famous ship.

At one stage during his tour, the Earl of Wessex looked out of the building to see where the SS Nomadic – a smaller ship built to ferry first and second class passengers to RMS Titanic – is berthed.

Just outside were two bomb squad vehicles and a police cordon.

The cordon was in place for almost three hours.

However, the alert has now ended and all roads on the area have re-opened to traffic.

During his visit to Northern Ireland, Prince Edward is due to meet people associated with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme.