A bomb which fell at the feet of a workman cutting a hedge at a primary school may have been made two days beforehand, it was claimed tonight.
However, Democratic Unionist leader the Rev Ian Paisley, in whose constituency the bomb find took place, claimed he was told by police they believed the small improvised device dumped at Harryville Primary School in Ballymena could have been made 48 hours previously.
A source said: "A maintenance team from the North Eastern Education and Library Board was cutting the hedge around the school when it rolled out and landed at one of the workmen's feet.
"It was a fresh device because there was new copper on it which had been freshly cut. It was still bright and shiny. "Had it been a device from the previous pipe bomb find on September 12th, the copper would have shown some signs of corrosion."
As Army bomb disposal experts defused the bomb which was discovered around 9am, the school, which is attended mostly by Protestant children, and nearby homes in Casement Place were evacuated.
The school, which is attended by 142 pupils, was later closed for the day after a follow up search uncovered bomb components.
Last month three viable pipe bomb devices were discovered near the school.