Salisbury probe extends to town ‘where poisoned cop Nick Bailey lived’… raising fears he brought nerve agent Novichok home with him
THE Salisbury nerve agent probe has widened to the home of poisoned cop Nick Bailey - raising fears he may have brought the deadly chemical home with him.
Troops swooped on sleepy Alderholt, Dorset, this morning, where the Wiltshire Police Detective Sergeant, who is currently in hospital, lives.
Officers are concerned DS Bailey may have gone home after coming into contact with nerve agent Novichok after he was first on the scene at the Salisbury poisoning.
A source told : "I understand the investigation is concerned about cross contamination at DS Bailey's address, which suggests he'd gone home."
DS Bailey was rushed to hospital after the attack that left ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia fighting for life.
He was initially in intensive care but is now conscious and talking.
A group of children were escorted through the area by two police officers as they left school and locals have been warned the road would be closed.
Later a car was removed by an army truck near the Larkhill military camp near Salisbury.
It comes just a day after heavily equipped teams descended on Gillingham to recover a car involved in the investigation.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service crews today confirmed they were at the scene in Alderholt, with their presence related to the Salisbury poisonings.
A spokesperson said: "We are on standby to support our colleagues should our assistance be required."
Large Army loaders were seen in the town, with local media reporting that a vehicle is expected to be taken away.
Local residents had been told by police that the area would be closed between 10am and 5pm today.
Theresa May today visited Salisbury, viewing the pub where Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned.
She also met with DS Bailey in hospital and saw the bench where the ex-spy and his daughter were found as she met with police officers and local leaders.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police who are handling the investigation said: "The military is assisting police to remove a number of vehicles and items from areas of Dorset, following the incident in Salisbury.
"The public should not be alarmed and the public health advice remains the same.
"The military has the expertise and capability to respond to a range of contingencies. The Ministry of Defence regularly assists the emergency services and local authorities in the UK.
"Military assistance will continue as necessary during this investigation."
Ms May, Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel issued an unprecedented statement saying Russia's attack on a spy in Salisbury "threatens the security of us all".
She added: "This happened in the UK but it could have happened anywhere and we are taking a united stance against it."
But Russian foreign ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said that allegations Vladimir Putin is behind the attempted hit were "insane".
She added: "After the United Kingdom announced unfriendly actions against Russia, retaliatory measures must be taken, as the Russian foreign ministry stated yesterday.
"They are currently under consideration and will be taken in the near future."
And the foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said British diplomats would "definitely" be thrown out of Russia, adding that the revenge measures will take place "very soon".
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, 33, were exposed to an "unknown substance" while out in Salisbury on Sunday, March 4, 2018.
They were found slumped on a bench in a "catatonic state" and anti-terror police are investigating CCTV believed to show the Russian father and daughter before the suspected "poisoning".
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