Why has it taken 15 days to seize car that picked up spy daughter?

DETECTIVES were accused of bungling the poisoning investigation after they waited two weeks to remove a car that may have been contaminated with nerve agent.

Soldiers in hazmat suits swooped on a village near Salisbury yesterday to take the vehicle, which collected Sergei Skripal’s daughter Yulia from Heathrow, for testing.

Cordons were put up in Durrington, ten miles north of the Wiltshire city, as the car was painstakingly moved on to an Army low-loader. Investigators are still looking at whether Miss Skripal, 33, unknowingly brought the Novichok poison to the UK.

Family friend Ross Cassidy, 61, confirmed his silver pick-up truck was seized from his workplace, Cemex concrete plant. Friends revealed he is fuming that the 4x4 has been left unchecked for two weeks, while he has continued to drive it.

The Isuzu D-Max pick-up was taken to Porton Down, where ambulances, police cars and a recovery truck are being tested.

Mr Cassidy’s step-son Russell Loveridge, 37, said: ‘It’s a farce … It was the first car they were in this country and it’s the last car the police have taken away. Ross has been driving it for 15 days.’

A friend added: ‘It makes no sense. They’ve taken the flowers from [Mrs Skripal’s] grave but not checked the car she [Miss Skripal] came in? … Who is running this show?’