An army bomb team was sent to examine the device in an area off the Colin Road
A bomb left on the outskirts of west Belfast could have been found by children and caused serious injury, police have said.
It was discovered in a grassland area off the Colin Road in Poleglass on Tuesday.
A nursery school, a women's centre and several houses were evacuated during the alert, which has now ended.
The object, described by police as an "improvised explosive", has been taken away for forensic examination.
Danger
Det Insp Stuart Griffin said: "This device had the capability to cause serious injury and was left in an open public area where anybody, including children, could have found it."
Sinn Féin councillor Stephen Magennis said the discovery had been "worrying".
"We're hoping that these people [responsible for the bomb] will finally get the message - they have no mandate within this area, they have no support," he said.
"Why do they continue to put the residents and children in danger?"
