Ards operation likely to continue for 'a number of days' as more than 400 householders affected

Police say a clearance operation is likely to continue for a number of days.

It follows the discovery of an historic piece of munition in the Riverwood area of Newtownards.

A PSNI official says whilst the force understands the disruption that will likely be caused to the local community, its priority is to keep residents safe.

In a further update on Sunday afternoon, a PSNI spokesperson said: “In excess of 400 homes have been affected by this operation.

"This is a significant number of properties, and we thank residents for their patience and understanding. I would like to state that if home owners or residents have not been spoken to directly by police, or received information in relation to this matter, it’s unlikely that they will be impacted by the clearance operation at this time.

“It is anticipated at this stage that the operation will continue for a number of days. A police cordon is in place and motorists are advised to continue to avoid the area.

“I appreciate the disruption that this has caused, however keeping people safe is paramount, and we will not take any risks. I want to thank those who may be affected for their patience at this time.

“We will continue to minimise any further disruption, as our priority is to keep residents and the local community safe.”