Security alert ongoing after reports of loud bangs
A number of homes have been evacuated in Londonderry as police deal with a security alert.
Residents in the Carnhill estate, in the greater Shantallow area, reported hearing two loud bangs overnight on Wednesday.
The alert appears to be centred around a caravan and a van that is located in a car park in the estate. A van and a car have since been removed from the scene for forensic examination.
Several police cordons remain in place and officers were still at the scene on Wednesday.
'Two loud bangs'
One resident, called Catherine, said she heard two loud bangs during the night.
"We were just lying in bed and we just heard two loud bangs; we both looked at each other, me and my partner, and said 'that was definitely not a firework, it was definitely more than that'," she said.
"We didn't see anything so we just went to sleep, then we just woke up this morning and saw the police."
Another resident, named Lisa, also heard two bangs from the car park at the back of her home.
"I came out of the house and saw that there was four vehicles damaged and mine was one of them - there is a hole on the side of my car.
"I think it was caused by whatever exploded and it's obviously hit my car and there's a hole now on the wing."
Another resident in nearby flats told BBC News NI that she and her partner were awoken in the middle of the night by "two big bangs" and her dogs started barking and were really terrified.
"My partner went outside, I think a lot of people did to see what was going on. He then saw that there was a lot of damage to a van, the tyres were burst and wing mirror was damaged."
She said some neighbours were moved out of their homes but she was allowed to stay.
