A suspicious device was found at the school's gates

Police officers making a routine search at Holy Cross Primary School discovered a suspicious device attached to the school gates at about 0830 BST on Monday.

Army bomb experts declared the device to be a hoax about an hour later.

A three-month protest in 2001 by loyalist residents at the Ardoyne interface in north Belfast saw pupils of Holy Cross being escorted to and from school by the security forces on a daily basis.

The dispute centred on alleged attacks on Glenbryn homes by the larger nationalist community in Ardoyne.

It ended after local Protestant residents were promised social improvements and new security measures.

The alert forced the school's first assembly of the term to be held in nearby St Gabriel's School.

Parents, children and staff returned to Holy Cross Primary School at about 0945 BST.

Chairman of the Holy Cross board of governors Father Aiden Troy, said it was a very disappointing start to the new school year.

"The overwhelming feeling is one of huge disappointment, while others would feel real anger that this has happened," he said.

A later security alert at the school was also declared a hoax.

Strandtown Primary School was damaged in a fire

In a separate incident, police are investigating criminal damage at a primary school in south Belfast.

More than 20 windows were broken at St John the Baptist Girls' Primary School.

The incident was reported to police at about 2345 BST on Friday.

Police have appealed for information.

In east Belfast, a school has opened for the new term despite a suspected arson attack.

One of the corridors at Strandtown Primary School was badly damaged in a fire on Sunday.

School principal Dr Desmond Hamilton said it was demoralising for staff.

"It is soul destroying for teachers, for pupils, and for me as head," he said.

"We are providing for children as best we can, and the heart has been knocked out of us."