Newtown lawns homes evacuated

A number of houses in the Newtown Lawns estate in Mullingar have been evacuated this afternoon as Gardai launch a follow up search to ensure there are no more explosive devices in the area.

Earlier in the day Mullingar Garda Station was evactuated after a member of the public brought in a grenade found at a house in the estate. At 2.17pm the bomb was taken from station by the army bomb disposal unit for detonation.

The grenade found in Newtown Lawns earlier today has been identified as a Mills 36. While the grenade did not have a pin it, the device still had an amount of explosive inside it. It is believed to date back to the Civil War.

More to follow.