MILITARY personnel and police are in a quiet village in East Dorset today as part of a investigation into the poisoning of a former spy.

A main road through Alderholt is closed as officials recover a vehicle thought to belong to a hero policeman who lives in the village.

Dorset Echo:

Military, ambulances and police in Alderholt as road is cordoned off over spy investigation

Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who works for Wiltshire Police, was rushed to hospital after trying to help Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, 33.

Mr Skripal and Ms Skripal were found collapsed near a shopping centre in Salisbury after a nerve agent attack. DS Bailey, 38, tried to resuscitate Mr Skripal, 66.

The officer was initially in intensive care. He is now conscious and talking. He lives with wife Sarah, who is said to be "distraught".

It also emerged that the car driven by Mr Skripal was so contaminated with the Novichok nerve agent that a fleet of other vehicles in Dorset are to be examined.

Police are investigating the possibility that Mr Skripal and Ms Skripal were poisoned in their maroon BMW. 

The police investigation, Operation Lime, crossed into Dorset on Wednesday as the truck that towed away the Skripals' car from the upper floor of a Sainsbury's car park was recovered from Gillingham.

And today, the focus of the investigation turned to Alderholt.

Birchwood Drive has been cordoned off for much of the day while emergency services and the armed forces worked at the scene.

Among the vehicles called to the village are two Army low loaders and a crane. One of the low loaders was seen reversing into Tudor Close.

At around 2.15pm, one of the trucks drove away from Tudor Close with a vehicle on it. The vehicle was covered by sheeting.

A spokesperson from the Met Police said: "The military is assisting police to remove a number of vehicles and items from areas of Dorset following the incident in Salisbury.

"The public should not be alarmed and the public health advice remains the same.

"The military has the expertise and capability to respond to a range of contingencies.

"The Ministry of Defence regularly assists the emergency services and local authorities in the UK.

"Military assistance will continue as necessary during this investigation."

MP Simon Hoare, who represents North Dorset, is visiting residents in both Gillingham and Alderholt today.

He urged residents with concerns to get in touch.

"There are a few people in hazchem suits, but many officials, including police officers, are walking around in their normal attire," he said.

"These agencies are doing an absolutely fantastic job."

Mr Hoare also praised the actions of DS Bailey.

"He is a constituent of mine, and he lives in Alderholt," the MP said.

"He is, by all accounts, a very brave man. Residents have asked after him, and many have told me what a nice person he is.

"Of course, my hopes and prayers are for him to make a full and speedy recovery."

The MP has also been in correspondence with Prime Minister Theresa May after asking for updates at the House of Commons on Wednesday.

Birchwood Drive is cordoned off from the junction with Green Drive to the junction with Fern Close. Residents were visited by police on Wednesday night to warn them of the closure. Bollards were also placed along the stretch that evening.

Police officers are manning both ends of the road closure, as well as a number of side paths and roads off Birchwood Drive.

Martin Norton, who lives in Silverdale Crescent and can see the cordon from his upstairs window, said: “There is speculation that the police officer who came into contact with the nerve agent lives in the village.

“What is confusing is if he was contaminated when it broke you would have thought he would not have come home.

“It is quite worrying if this stuff is so severe they take these kind of precautions.”

Brian Russell, who also lives in the stretch, said: “I’m surprised and somewhat shocked it has taken them this long to actually implement what they are doing here. 

"You would have thought it would have been the first thing they did.”

His comments were echoed by Shaun Rudd, who lives in Tudor Close.

"It is a bit disconcerting because there is a yellow line where the soldiers are standing and on other side there is people in chemical suits," he said.

"I think they have reacted very slowly to this. It's like the Mill and Zizzis when they let people go in there on the Monday.

"They could have reacted to it all a bit quick really.

"Police came to the door last night around 6pm and read a notice that the road was going to be closed off and we had to move vehicles from Tudor Close.

"In the road you can see one of those large lorries recovering one of the vehicles."