UK terror threat level reduced from 'critical' to 'severe', Theresa May says

Police continue to close the net on remaining suspects in the Manchester attack investigation

The UK threat level has been reduced from critical, which means an attack is imminent, to severe, which means an attack is highly likely, Theresa May has said.

The threat level has been lowered in response to fresh arrests and raids linked to Monday's suicide bombing.

Troops will be gradually withdrawn from the streets from Monday onwards, having been drafted in to bolster police numbers, the Prime Minister said.

The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) increased the threat level to "critical" - its highest level - meaning a further terror attack was considered "imminent".

Speaking after a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee, she said the decision had been taken after "a significant amount of police activity" over the last 24 hours.

She said: "The public should be clear about what this means - a threat level of severe means an attack is highly likely. The country should remain vigilant."

The massacre, in which 22 people were killed, was the worst terrorist atrocity to hit Britain since the July 7 attacks in London in 2005.

The de-escalation came as a street in Manchester's Moss Side was evacuated by counter-terror officers.

Boscombe Street was said to have been cleared on Saturday morning, with one witness describing a bomb-disposal van parked at the junction with Yew Tree Road.

An address in the area was being searched by detectives as they sought to close the net on the suspected terror cell behind Manchester Arena suicide bomber Salman Abedi.

Yamma Wu, 29, said she had been ordered not to leave her house by officers. "I can see police cars outside the street and they are not allowing people out or in and there is an evacuation in this area, but because I have got a little baby with me they told me I could say inside, but I could not go out," she said.

The operation in the early hours of Saturday morning brings the number of suspects being held in custody to 11.

The development came as a vast security operation gets under way to protect hundreds of spring bank holiday events across Britain this weekend.

GMP said officers made the latest arrests as they executed a warrant at an address in Cheetham Hill, north of the city centre.

It followed searches at a separate property in Cheetham Hill and an address in the Longsight area in south Manchester.

Residents described hearing a "loud bang" as the latest raid and a controlled explosion took place in Brideoak Street in Cheetham Hill..

Shakufta Bi, who lives across the road, said the noise woke her in the early hours and she saw the street full of police cars and vans along with men in green military uniforms.

Mrs Bi said a Libyan family live at the address - a mother, three sons in their late teens or early 20s and a daughter. The father, an engineer, lives in Dubai and visits occasionally.

All the sons pray at a mosque 200 yards away, known locally as the "Libyan" mosque.

Some neighbours report seeing the sons wearing both "western" dress and traditional Islamic robes.

Another neighbour, Val Jones, said: "I heard a loud bang, it sounded like a door getting kicked in. Then I looked out the window. I seen a lot of police going to the bottom end then I seen a convoy of cars, just normal, private, unmarked cars from the bottom of the street to maybe where that taxi is.

"Car doors flew open, police come out, soldiers in combat gear come out (wearing) green body armour.

"They were just walking up and down the street with guns, focusing (on) ... I don't know which house it was but it was pitch black at that time.

"I knew it was serious but I didn't know it was anything. I thought it was a drugs raid or something like that. You hear a lot of that around here."

On Friday evening, a 44-year-old man was arrested in the Rusholme area of the city. Witnesses reported seeing armed police storm a bus on its way to the town centre at around 7pm.

Twenty-two people, including seven children, were killed and scores injured when Abedi launched a suicide attack at Manchester Arena on Monday night.

The Duke of Cambridge and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn are expected to head to Wembley on Saturday.

In Hull, US star Katy Perry will perform amid tight security at Radio 1's Big Weekend, while in Manchester, armed officers will patrol The Courteeners' concert at Old Trafford cricket ground, where fans were warned extra security checks will be in place.

On Sunday, the Great Manchester Run will go ahead as planned, with defiant runners and spectators due to turn out in large numbers as the city recovers from the atrocity.

Activity in the Manchester probe is expected to continue throughout the weekend and investigators remained at at least 12 locations across the North West on Friday evening.

Additional reporting by agencies