One of the two people critically ill in hospital after they were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury yesterday is an alleged former Russian spy, the BBC reports.
Police officers arrived at Sergei Skripal’s house just after the incident, and remain on scene now.
He was granted refuge in the UK following a “spy swap” between the US and Russia in 2010.
Emergency services, including Wiltshire Air Ambulance, were called The Maltings at around 4.15pm on Sunday evening, after concerns were raised for the welfare of a man and a woman.
The pair were taken to Salisbury District Hospital and are being treated for suspected exposure to an unknown substance – both are said to be in a critical condition.
Their admission to hospital led to a major incident which has seen A&E closed this morning, with specialist ambulance crews and firefighters working to decontaminating the area.
Wiltshire Police does not believe there is any risk to the wider public.
A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said: “We received a call at approx. 4.15pm yesterday (4 March 2018) regarding concern for the welfare of a man and a woman in The Maltings, Salisbury.
“They were taken to Salisbury District Hospital and are being treated for suspected exposure to an unknown substance. Both are currently in a critical condition.
“At this stage it is not yet clear if a crime has been committed and a multi-agency response has been co-ordinated. We’re carrying out a full investigation and working with partner agencies, to clarify exact circumstances.”
