SPECIALIST officers have today begun a search of Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury for more items potentially contaminated with deadly Novichok. 

Twenty-four trained officers will be conducting "fingertip searches" for the next seven days, as well as broader open searches of the area. 

Wiltshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills said: "The commencement of the searching of the gardens is a significant step in the operation and our key priority is to return the gardens to the public at the earliest opportunity."

DCC Mills would not confirm the small bottle found in victim Charlie Rowley's home last Wednesday, believed to be the source of the nerve agent, was a perfume bottle. 

And he said more contaminated objects could still be around, adding: “We don’t want to cause public concern but we can’t rule out other items."

“We know both Charlie and Dawn visited the park the day before they became ill so we are keeping an open mind at this moment in time," he said.

"We don’t have any specific intelligence to the park, but we are treating it as we are with all the cordons."

Mike Wade, Public Health England Deputy Director for Health Protection in the South West said: "The risk to the public remains low.

"As a precaution Public Health England (PHE) continues to strongly advise the public not to pick up any strange items such as syringes, needles, cosmetics or similar objects made of materials such as metal, plastic or glass.

"The advice remains - if you didn't drop it, then don't pick it up."