Police thank community for patience

He said: "The criminals involved are cowardly and have no regard for human life. They are intent on causing death, injury and disruption and it does not matter who gets caught up in their cowardly attacks.

“This no warning explosion was an obvious attempt to kill police or injure police officers providing a service to this community as they responded to a neighbouring area following a very vague warning that a device had been left at a local school.

"In the event no police officers were in the area of the blast at the time of the explosion, however, three young children were and they received injuries that left them badly shaken and requiring hospital treatment.

"It is an absolute miracle that these children were not more seriously injured by this sickening attack on the most vulnerable members of our community."