A primary school in north Belfast will remain closed today after an improvised gun was discovered there yesterday.
Police were called to Holy Cross Primary School at around 2:30pm yesterday afternoon amid reports of a suspicious object found in the school grounds.
Specialist officers examined the object and found it was an "improvised weapon which has the potential to fire a high calibre round".
The PSNI have criticised those responsible for their "callous disregard" for local children and members of the community.
Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roberts said: "This weapon is most likely to have been left in the area by dissident republican terrorists and was destined to be used in an attempt to kill or seriously injure police officers serving and protecting the local community in north Belfast.
“This is an act of utmost recklessness and a highly stupid act.
"Those responsible do not represent any kind of cause; they do not represent any section of the community."
He added: "The weapon was left in the immediate area where the youngest children who attend school would be playing during the course of the school day."
Police in the North say detectives with the PSNI's Terrorism Investigation Unit have now launched an investigation.
