Don’t pick up anything on the ground that you haven’t dropped yourself.

That’s the latest advice to residents of and visitors to, Amesbury and Salisbury from public authorities dealing with the Novichok poisoning of two Amesbury residents.

Director of health protection at Public Health England said: “Our assessment remains that the overall risk to the general public remains low.

“As a precaution we advise the people not to pick up any strange items such as needles, syringes or unusual containers.”

People should remain especially wary of containers that may hold, or have held, liquid or gel.

He repeated the advice that anyone in identified locations form 10om on Friday 29th June should wash their clothes in a washing machine, or put dry-clean only items into two, securely fastened bags.

Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley, fell ill at a house in Amesbury, on Saturday 30 June.

Ms Sturgess, 44, died on Sunday and a murder investigation has been launched by Wiltshire Police working with specialist counter-terrorism officers.

Mr Rowley, 45 remains in hospital, still a condition described as ‘very unwell’ but doctors at Salisbury District Hospital say he has regained consciousness after a “small but significant” improvement.