An investigation has been launched after a group of children found a viable pipe bomb in Cork yesterday evening.

The children who ranged in age from 6 to 12 are understood to have played with the device before handing it over to their parents.

The incident happened around 5:10 yesterday evening when a group of children found the pipe bomb while playing on a communal area at Churchfield Avenue on the city's northside.

As many as 8 children passed the device around before alerting their parents who also handled it.

One of the parents not knowing what the device was, decided to bring it to the gardai and put it in the boot of his car.

When he arrived at Gurranebraher Garda Station, he asked a garda to come out and look at the device in his car but when the officer saw the device, he immediately realised what it was.

Gardai evacuated Gurranebraher Garda Station and notified the army bomb disposal team who raced to the scene and examined the device.

They made safe the device on the station grounds and it has been sent for forensic analysis.

Gardai say it was very fortunate that nobody was injured during the incident. and are appealing for anyone with information to contact Gurranabrahar Garda Station.