Police have criticised as “reckless” an incident in county Armagh in which a pipe bomb exploded close to a house where young children were living.

Residents in the Enniskeen area of Craigavon reported hearing a loud bang between 11.20pm and 11.30pm on Saturday.

Police and army bomb experts established that a pipe bomb had exploded outside a house where a woman and a number of young children had been.

A second device, which had not detonated, was also discovered in the area.

The remnants of the device that exploded and the second device were taken away for further forensic examination, a police spokesman said.

There have been no reports of any injury or damage to property.

Residents who were evacuated overnight were allowed to return to their homes on Sunday morning.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) described the incident as a “reckless attack by those responsible”. “We are extremely fortunate that we are not dealing with any serious injuries, or worse today,” a spokesman said.

“Anyone could have picked up these potentially deadly devices, and those behind the attack have clearly no regard for the safety of the others.

“Our inquiries are at an early stage and I want to appeal to anyone who was in the area last night and saw any suspicious activity, or any suspicious vehicles in the area to get in touch with us on the non emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1611 of 16/02/19.”