Police in the North are investigating whether a gun found in the Ballymagroarty area of Derry was used to murder journalist Lyra McKee.

The gun was uncovered alongside a “fully primed bomb” and ammunition during searches across more than 38 acres of land on Friday and Saturday.

PSNI Chief Superintendent Emma Bond said the searches, carried out by police and military personnel, were “designed specifically to find items we believed were being stored by violent dissident republicans.”

The firing pack for a “fully primed bomb” found the Ballymagroarty area of Derry, 06-06-2020. Image: PSNI

“We were able to locate and safely remove a command-wire initiated bomb, a handgun and a quantity of ammunition,” she said.

“A strong line of enquiry is that these munitions belong to the New IRA.

“They have now been seized and will be subject to rigorous forensic examination in the coming days and weeks.”

She said the gun appears to be the “same type and calibre” as that used to murder Lyra McKee; however, she said, police cannot yet confirm whether it is the same weapon.

“The gun will be subject to extensive forensic testing in the coming days and weeks to determine if there is a link between this firearm and Lyra’s murder,” said Chief Superintendent Bond.

“Whilst we regard this as an encouraging line of enquiry, I will repeat that we cannot definitively say at this time whether or not this is the murder weapon. That determination will be guided by the forensics.”

She said the weapons “posed a serious and imminent risk to the community” and said they were left on land “where children are known to play.”

Homes near where police uncovered a gun, ammunition and a “fully primed bomb” in the Ballymagroarty area of Derry, 07-06-2020. Image: PSNI

29-year-old Lyra McKee was shot dead during riots in the Creggan area of Derry in April 2019.

The New IRA has admitted responsibility for the gunshot that killed her. It said it was targeting members of the PSNI.