Bottle of Novichok nerve agent found at Charlie Rowley's house

Firefighters with Breathing Apparatus arrive at the scene in Muggleton Road, Amesbury. Credit: PA (Steve Parsons/PA)

Counter-terrorism detectives investigating the contamination of two people by the nerve agent Novichok believe they have found the source of the deadly substance.

Dawn Sturgess, 44, from Durrington, died in hospital on Sunday 8 July while her partner Charlie Rowley, 45 is recovering in hospital.

On Wednesday 11 July, a small bottle was recovered during searches of Charlie Rowley’s house in Amesbury.

Scientists at the Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down, confirmed to the Met Police that the substance in it was indeed Novichok.

Further tests will be carried out to establish whether it is from the same batch that contaminated Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March.

A post-mortem is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 17 July and an inquest into Dawn’s death is set to open and adjourn in Salisbury at 11am on Thursday 19 July.

Police are investigating where the bottle came from and how it came to be in Charlie’s house.

Wiltshire Police released this statement:

Dawn Sturgess died after being contaminated by the nerve agent. Credit: Facebook

Wiltshire Police say despite the new development, the guidance from Public Health England around picking up foreign objects hasn’t changed.

Public Health England added despite the new find, the risk to the public remained low.

Anyone with questions or concerns can call the dedicated phone-line, staffed by police and public health, between 8am and 8pm: 0800 0920 410 or 0207 158 0124.