Chemical security

Russian assassin who carried perfume bottle 'was a WOMAN who took key role in six-strong poison hit team'

A female assassin was part of the Russian military intelligence agency believed to have carried out the deadly nerve agent attack in Britain, it was claimed today.

Dawn Sturgess, 44, died last week, and her partner Charlie Rowley, 45, is fighting for life in hospital after they found the Russian nerve agent in Amesbury, near Salisbury.

Mr Rowley's brother Matthew said yesterday the couple last month picked up a perfume bottle in a park containing the nerve agent and sprayed it on themselves.

The perfume bottle lead supports the theory that a woman was involved in the initial hit by up to six people against Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury on March 4.