The security forces in Northern Ireland have defused a huge bomb in a van abandoned near the town of Newry.

The area was cordoned off while the device was dealt with. Army experts carried out several controlled explosions on the vehicle.

The police say that at 500 pounds, it was a big as the bomb that killed 29 people in Omagh in 1998. They say it would have caused a huge loss of life if it had exploded as intended.

Traffic was diverted away from the scene and part of the main Belfast to Dublin Road was closed for a while during the operation.

No one has claimed responsibility for the bomb but police suspect dissident republicans who are opposed to the 1998 peace agreement.

They were responsible for the murder less than a week ago of Police Constable Ronan Kerr in Omagh.

In recent weeks there has been a surge in activity among dissident groups, possibly because of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections due to be held in less than a month on May the 5th.