A package delivered to a hotel in Londonderry contained a “viable” explosive device, police have said, prompting evacuations and a controlled explosion by Army bomb experts.

The package was discovered at about 15:20 GMT on Tuesday at the hotel in Ebrington Square, in the city’s Waterside area.
Army specialists attended and carried out the controlled explosion before the device was taken away for forensic examination.

Detective Superintendent Kearney, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said “a number of people” had been evacuated from the hotel, along with staff from neighbouring premises.
The detective condemned the incident, saying: “I condemn this reckless and targeted attack.”

A Halloween funfair was taking place a short distance from the hotel and remained open throughout the security alert.
The evacuations therefore affected the hotel and neighbouring premises without closing the nearby event.

The police assessment establishes that the package contained a viable device rather than merely a suspicious object.
The forensic examination is the next stage described in the investigation; the supplied account gives no details of who sent the package or why the hotel was targeted.