Murder inquiry after Novichok woman dies

Police have launched a murder inquiry after a woman exposed to nerve agent Novichok in Wiltshire died.

Dawn Sturgess, 44, died in hospital on Sunday evening after falling ill on 30 June.

Charlie Rowley, 45, who was also exposed to the nerve agent in Amesbury, remains critically ill in hospital.

Theresa May said she was "appalled and shocked" by the death, which comes after the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury.

A post-mortem examination of Ms Sturgess, from Durrington, is due to take place and her family has been informed, police said.

Officers are still trying to work out how Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley were exposed to the nerve agent.

The working hypothesis is that the pair became contaminated after touching a poison container left over from the March attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

The death of Dawn Sturgess, a British citizen on British soil, now changes the investigation to a murder inquiry, with all the diplomatic and security ramifications that carries.

Britain has been blaming Moscow for the original attack in March, saying there is no plausible alternative to the Kremlin having ordered the assassination attempt.

Russia has denied any involvement, suggesting instead this was the action of a weak British government looking to undermine the success of the current World Cup being hosted by Russia.