UPDATE: Rathangan reopens as bomb scare ends

The village of Rathangan has reopened in the past few minutes following a bomb scare which saw residents evacuated from the Bridge Street Area,

The Army bomb disposal unit arrived in the town shortly before 9am and parked on the Canal bridge while they examined a suspect package.

The residents in the Bridge Street area were evacuated at approximately 8.20am after being told by Gardai that a suspect device had been discovered.

All main entrances to the centre of the village were been cut off and pupils of Bunscoill Bride  travelling to the school to from the top of the town are temporarily prevented from getting to school for the moment because of the situation. 

It's not immediately clear where the suspect package is, although some locals have suggested it was left outside a shop in the town.

The village centre has reopened as emergency services leave.