School bomb alert declared hoax

St Colm's High School has been targeted several times

A suspicious object which sparked a security alert near St Colm's High School on the outskirts of west Belfast has been declared a hoax.

The school was closed and nearby streets cordoned off as the object was examined.

The school has been closed several times recently because of hoax alerts.

School principal Imelda Jordan said she felt "disappointed that yet again our pupils have been disadvantaged by those who care little or nothing for them."

"Clearly on our return to school I will be looking at creative ways of making up the time, particularly for those students who are just about to sit GCSE modular exams," she said.