The sustained attack in the Cornakinnegar Road area on Sunday left a police car extensively damaged, but there were no reports of any injuries.

Army explosive experts were forced to carry out a number of controlled explosions on a suspicious object.

While attending the scene police came under attack from a crowd throwing stones, fireworks and other missiles.

A number of petrol bombs were also thrown.

It is thought the hoax was staged to draw police and emergency services into the area so they could be attacked.

The town has seen a number of attacks on police by dissident republicans and their supporters, some using the tactic of a hoax bomb to lure police into an ambush.

Area Commander Chief Inspector Jason Murphy said: "It is deeply disturbing that in carrying out an operation to safeguard the local community, police themselves came under attack when petrol bombs and other items were thrown at them. It is fortunate that no-one was injured."

Army bomb experts were called out to a suspicious object in the Ardenlee estate in Downpatrick yesterday. The alert began at around 2.50pm and the road into the estate was closed.