Novichok poisoning police to examine ambulances used to treat victims

Detectives investigating the Novichok poisonings of Charlie Rowley and Dawn Sturgess are to undertake precautionary testing of the ambulances used to treat the pair.

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance, the ambulance station, emergency vehicles and the kit worn by the first medical staff to respond to the 999 alert will be examined by experts.

Mr Rowley, 45, and Ms Stur- gess, 44, fell ill in Amesbury, near Salisbury, on 30 June after being contaminated by the nerve agent.

Ms Sturgess, a mother-ofthree, died eight days later having never gained consciousness. Her funeral was held on Monday.

Mr Rowley has said the nerve agent took just 15 minutes to poison Ms Sturgess after she sprayed the “oily” substance on to her wrists believing it was perfume he had given her as a gift.

It was the second nerve agent incident in four months following the case of Sergei Skripal, 67, and his daughter Yulia, 33, who were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury in March.

Wiltshire Police said the “highly precautionary process” was designed to ensure that no onward contamination has taken place. The force said the ambulance station at Semington will be closed temporarily and the air ambulance will also be tested.