Shocking images have been released which show police at the scene of the attempted assassination of a former Russian spy, unaware they were dealing with a deadly nerve agent.
The photos show officers in ordinary patrol uniforms working to collect evidence just feet from where Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia collapsed.
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Unprotected police can be seen crouching next to the bench where they were found and a red handbag can be seen on the floor at the scene.
One of the first police officers on the scene has been affected by the poison and is seriously ill in hospital as the two Russians fight for their lives.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said this morning that the officer is ‘talking and engaging’ in hospital, and medics are ‘optimistic’ for him.
The pictures were taken at the Maltings shopping precinct in Salisbury, Wilts, only two minutes after Yulia, 33, was airlifted to hospital.
She and her 66-year-old father had been found in ‘a catatonic state’ on a bench after being deliberately targeted.
The photos were taken just minutes after the air and land ambulances left the scene with the two Russians at around 5.10pm, by writer Thom Belk, 30, who had been nearby when he heard sirens.
Mr Belk, of Salisbury, said: ‘I went to see what was going on just as the air ambulance was taking off and the land ambulance was leaving.
‘These pictures are the immediate aftermath of what had happened, I don’t think anyone there really had a clue what was going on.
‘The police officer is very close to the area where they were taken ill.
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‘The officers had actually lifted part of the cordon and at one point there were two members of the public walking very near to the bench and the bag as well.
‘They started off with quite a big cordon, but did begin to take some of it down.’
At the time officers had no idea the pair had been attacked with a chemical weapon and attended the scene in everyday uniforms, even removing parts of the cordon at one stage.
In one picture two people can be seen strolling obliviously through the precinct, yards from where the Russians passed out.
Later that evening, the gravity of the attack became clear and it was declared ‘a major incident.’
The area was sealed off and only officers wearing specialist, protective ‘haz-mat’ suits were allowed near the scene.
Firefighters, paramedics and police were called to The Maltings shopping precinct at 4.15pm on Sunday afternoon after Mr Skripal and his daughter were discovered slumped on the bench.
Counter terror police chief Mark Rowley yesterday confirmed a nerve agent was used in an attempt to murder Mr Skripal and his daughter.
New witnesses how Mr Skripal was ‘rocking back and forth’ and ‘praying’ while Yulia sat ‘slumped’ next to him.
Georgia Pridham, 25, was walking to her friend’s car when she spotted the pair on the bench.
She said: ‘She was kind of slumped into his shoulder. It just looked like she was asleep or passed out.
‘He was sat bolt upright and rocking back and forth.’
Dan Holmes, 32, who walked past them just after 4pm, said: ‘The man was holding the woman with his head up and eyes closed; he was talking to himself as if he was praying.’
And Emma Pearson added: ‘I walked past them just as they were laying the girl down.
‘I was going to go and help them, but there were so many people there already; I was worried but they didn’t need more people getting in the way.’
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