Salisbury latest: Man tested for nerve agent exposure after 'incident' near Zizzi restaurant Skripals visited

Eyewitness says person involved was 'local homeless guy' who was 'sat on the floor, completely conscious, talking'

Police in Salisbury cordoned off a section of road near the Zizzi restaurant after a man was found in the street (PA)

A man has been tested for possible nerve agent exposure at a Salisbury hospital after police earlier responded to an "incident" in the town.

The man, in his thirties, was sent to Salisbury District Hospital “as a highly precautionary measure…for tests to determine if he had any contact with a nerve agent”.

Wiltshire Police earlier imposed a cordon on a street just metres from the Zizzi restaurant that Sergei and Yulia Skripal visited before becoming ill.

An eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said the man involved was a "local homeless guy" who was "sat on the floor, completely conscious, talking".

He said he saw a paramedic at the scene climbing into a chemical suit while another "was shouting at the man to stay put and stay on the floor". All the police officers had rubber gloves on, he added.

The man said that when he cycled past a second time there was a "small cordon with a handful of police and paramedics".

"Whilst cycling out of the city all the response vehicles descending on the city," he said.

Police confirmed at around 9pm on Thursday that the cordon was lifted and road reopened.

Publisher George Walkley, 41, who was at the scene, said: "I was walking through the city centre and saw emergency vehicles and they had sealed off a stretch of Castle Street in Salisbury.

"There was a very heavy police presence there along with the fire service and ambulances.

"Just inside that cordon between Zizzi and Tesco they had a green tent thing set up."

Sergei Skripal, a retired Russian colonel and former double agent for MI6 and his daughter Yulia were hospitalised after they were found unconscious on a nearby bench on 4 March after being poisoned with Novichok.

Charlie Rowley, 45, remains seriously ill in hospital, and his partner Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after the pair collapsed at his home in Amesbury, on 30 June, having been exposed to the nerve agent.

A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said: "We are pleased to report that the cordon in place in Castle Street, Salisbury, has been removed and the road has been reopened.

"Emergency services were called to the scene at 6.20pm this evening (12 July 2018) after concerns were raised about the welfare of a man in his 30s.

"He has been taken to Salisbury District Hospital and fully assessed by medical staff.

"We can now confirm that there is no concern for either his health or any wider risk to the public.

"We understand that our initial response to the incident may have looked alarming, but we hope you appreciate why we needed to take this highly precautionary measure."