Soldiers replace 'contaminated' paving around the bench in Salisbury where former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia fell ill as they join Salisbury clean-up operation at nerve agent hot spots

  • Three trucks arrived in the town this evening, unloading containers and a JCB
  • They stopped by the bench where Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found slumped
  • Specialists from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs confirmed nine sites will be investigated

Soldiers in breathing apparatus are replacing the paving where Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter collapsed after their nerve agent attack. 

A military convoy arrived in Salisbury last year to begin a clean-up operation in the wake of the plot to poison former double agent.

This morning, military experts were working in the park in the centre of the city where Mr Skripal and his daughter were found.   

Soldiers in Salisbury today set about replacing potentially contaminated paving stones

Soldiers in Salisbury today set about replacing potentially contaminated paving stones

Soldiers in breathing apparatus removing paving around the bench where former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were found after a nerve agent attack in Salisbury

The military has returned to the Wiltshire city nearly two months after the chemical weapon attack as the clean-up continues

The bench is the first of nine sites to be cleaned in an operation that is expected take several months.

Specialists working for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs will collect samples like soil, turf and paving stones for testing and cleaning to eradicate traces of the nerve agent novichok. 

Other sites which will be decontaminated are the two ambulance stations used in the recovery of the Skripals, a police station, the Zizzi's restaurant where they had lunch the day of the poisoning, the garage their car was kept in and the home of detective sergeant Nick Bailey - who was also poisoned. 

A spokesperson for Defra said: 'Decontamination work will start at The Maltings, in Salisbury on Tuesday morning on 24 April.

'Work will take place around the area where the bench was located. Specialist teams will carry out thorough testing to ensure that any residual nerve agent used in the attack is chemically cleaned, or removed and safely destroyed.'

The troops were drafted in this morning as the clean-up around the city continues

The Department for the Environment had warned residents of the city to expect to see soldiers

The Department for the Environment had warned residents of the city to expect to see soldiers

Chemical weapons experts are cleaning up a number of sites around Salisbury this week

Chemical weapons experts are cleaning up a number of sites around Salisbury this week

Nine sites which will be decontaminated

1. Zizzi

2. The Maltings shopping centre

3. Ashley Wood Compound

4. The Mill pub

5. Bourne Hill police station

6. Salisbury ambulance station

7. Amesbury ambulance station

8. The home of police officer Nick Bailey

9. The home of Sergei Skripal 

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The spokesman continued. 'The work is being planned and overseen by Defra based on expert advice from DSTL, PHE, DHSC and the Home Office and with support of specialist MOD personnel form the Army, RAF and joint organisations.'

It comes after a report by experts at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed Britain's analysis that the attack on the Skripals in Salisbury on March 4 was conducted with the nerve agent Novichok. 

The OPCW reported that the Novichok contained in blood samples from the victims showed little sign of decomposition, even though the agent would normally be expected to react with naturally-occurring chemicals inside the body, he said. 

Army trucks arrive in the town of Salisbury where the nerve agent attack occurred or March 4

Army trucks arrive in the town of Salisbury where the nerve agent attack occurred or March 4

Military team 

One truck carrying a metal container began to unload this evening in central Salisbury

Soldiers prepare for the contamination of nine different sites connected with the Skripal affair starting Tuesday morning

Soldiers prepare for the contamination of nine different sites connected with the Skripal affair starting Tuesday morning

'This is strange, given that 18 days passed between the poisoning and the arrival of the OPCW in the UK,' said Mr Yakovenko.

'It might mean that the chemical was intentionally injected just before the blood samples were taken.' 

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills from Wiltshire Police said it would be 'business as usual' as operations move to other sites in and around the city.

Other areas earmarked for chemical cleaning include two ambulance stations, a car compound and the home of poisoned police officer Nick Bailey.

Mr Skripal's home, which is still part of the police investigation, will be the last to be decontaminated.  

In March toxic trace amounts of the Novichok poison was administered in liquid form to target former Russian sp Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33 in Wiltshire, Salisbury

Toxic trace amounts of the Novichok poison is believed to have been administered in liquid form to target Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33

The pair had been in the Zizzi restaurant in Salisbury (pictured) which is now a site of decontamination 

The pair had been in the Zizzi restaurant in Salisbury (pictured) which is now a site of decontamination 

Defra announced there are nine sites which will be assessed by decontamination units following the nerve agent attack

Defra announced there are nine sites which will be assessed by decontamination units following the nerve agent attack

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