The suspicious object that sparked a security alert during the President's Cup football match between Derry City and Shamrock Rovers on Friday night was an "elaborate hoax", police have said.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is now appealing to the public for help in finding those responsible for the incident. The alert happened as Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris and the Republic's President Michael D Higgins were at Derry City's Brandywell Stadium off Lone Moor Road.
It's understood that Northern Ireland's Secretary of State left the match because of the security alert, whilst Mr Higgins remained at the ground to present the cup to Derry City, who won the game 2-0. The alert was first raised around 8:30pm when police received a tip-off that a suspicious object had been found in the Celtic Court area.
