THREE members of a family were arrested after the discovery of a home-made bomb.

Bomb disposal experts from Liverpool were called in to defuse the device and dozens of residents were evacuated for around four hours on Wednesday night.

Police had received a tip-off about the bomb, which was found in a house in Windermere Avenue, Huncoat.

The residents booed and jeered as the arrested men, aged 63, 25 and 16, were taken away.

Police have described the incident as domestic and said there were no links to terrorist activity.

They were set to carry out a forensic examination of the house yesterday (Thurs) and the device has been sent for laboratory analysis.

Officers received a tip-off about the bomb at 4pm and called in specialist bomb disposal officers.

A 100m cordon was put in place around the scene. Residents of about 10 homes were advised to leave and others were instructed to stay in the back of their homes and keep doors and windows closed.

Hyndburn Council was placed on standby to provide accommodation in case there was a need to evacuate more people.

The bomb disposal experts entered the house and defused the device with the help of a remote-control robot.

The area was declared safe at about 10pm, but a police guard remained overnight.

A police spokesman said: "Subsequent to information received by police just after 4pm on Wednesday, officers dealt with an incident in the Windermere Avenue area of Huncoat.

"What appeared to be a home-made explosive device was found and a cordon was put in place to ensure public safety.

"Bomb disposal officers attended and made the device safe. Three local men have been detained and the investigation continues. The scene was declared safe just before 10pm.

"This is an isolated domestic incident and there are no known links to any terrorist activity whatsoever."

Windermere Avenue resident Maureen Stimson, 39, who was evacuated with her three children, said: "Everybody is just really shocked. It's frightening that this could happen and we are talking about starting a petition to make sure the family cannot return.

"People were really upset at the time, especially because they couldn't get to their homes and the children were eating their tea outside. There was just a group of us waiting on a grass verge.

"It's frightening to think that people could make a bomb in their home. We had heard a loud bang from the back garden of that house before but thought it was a firework."

Ray Taylor, 60, of Bolton Avenue, added: "I think people are very, very surprised that this could have happened. My neighbour heard a bang and was very upset and now we are wondering if it was a bomb."