Mr Mathison has said: “I'd like to express my gratitude to the PSNI, Ards & North Down Borough Council, the specialist military team and all other agencies involved in implementing an emergency response to evacuate the area and protect the public. The operation went smoothly and quickly and the device has been made safe with a controlled explosion."
 
"The last few days have been deeply disruptive to our town and have caused a lot of stress and concern for many residents, not least for those with health conditions and pet owners, for whom this experience has come with additional stresses.
 
"The voluntary response to temporarily house pets at extremely short notice coordinated by Lost and Found Pets North Down & Ards has been phenomenal and demonstrates the strong community spirit in our town.
 
"To everyone who has been affected, thank you for your cooperation and patience during this difficult time. I hope that any property damage is minimal and that we can all get back to normal as soon as possible."