A pipe bomb type device was found beside a lookout post at North Queen Street station on Saturday night.

It was made safe by Army experts. No one was injured.

The Democratic Unionist councillor for the area, Nelson McCausland, blamed republicans for the attack.

"This attack comes at the end of a week of serious republican violence in east Belfast and north Belfast," he said.

"The police station is located in the New Lodge Road area and therefore this pipe bomb attack was the work of republicans.

"It simply confirms that republican terrorists are still manufacturing and using pipe bombs."

Meanwhile, there has been a security alert in County Down.

A suspicious object was found near a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Dundrum.

It is understood a passer-by picked it up and carried it to a nearby beach before calling the security forces.

Army bomb disposal experts were called to the scene. However, the object was declared a hoax.

A car boot sale planned for the area was cancelled.