Fire bomb fuels campaign fears

An incendiary bomb was discovered in a supermarket in Northern Ireland tonight, fuelling fears of a fresh bombing campaign.

The device was defused by army experts in the Sainsbury supermarket at Sprucefield outside Lisburn, Co Antrim.

In the run-up to Christmas, the neighbouring B&Q DIY store was extensively damaged by fire when a device went off.

It was one of a number of such devices planted in stores across the province, several of which went off causing major damage.

Dissident republicans were suspected by police to be responsible although no claims of responsibility were made.

The Police Service tonight issued an urgent appeal to retailers across the whole of the city of Lisburn to carefully search their premises and report anything suspicious to them.