A pipe bomb was found today near the route used by children going to school at Holy Cross Primary School in north Belfast.
It was discovered in the back garden of a house about 600 yards from the Catholic school, which has been at the centre of a bitter 12-week protest.
After loyalists in the area agreed to call off their protest at the weekend, Catholic children from the Ardoyne are went to Holy Cross school without being harangued by protesters for only the second time in three months.
But as the children returned to classes British army bomb disposal experts were called in to defuse the device in Alliance Avenue.
Police later confirmed it was a pipe bomb-type device - of the kind used in hundreds of loyalist paramilitary attacks against Catholics - and appealed for anyone who noticed suspicious activity overnight to come forward.
The schoolgirls' walk to school passed without incident following a decision by Protestant residents to suspend their daily protests.
The move followed talks on Friday with First Minster Mr Trimble and his deputy Mr Mark Durkan which resulted in a package of measures for the area.
The security presence was dramatically scaled down as a result of the deal brokered but officers were on standby in case of trouble.
The first steps to normality were taken when Catholic parents and loyalist residents met at Belfast's City Hall last night. The groups are hoping to set up a community forum in the weeks ahead.
PA