Quote:Salisbury Prezzo is still on lockdown despite NO novichok: Police guard restaurant whereMailOnline:
'Russian' couple fell ill with nerve agent-style symptoms - as male diner is in 'critical condition'
*Man in his 40s collapsed at restaurant in Salisbury with his female dinner guest
*Major incident declared when man and woman in 30s became unwell at Prezzo
*Roads were cordoned off and police wearing protective suits were deployed
*But police said there's nothing to suggest Novichok had caused them to fall ill
'The man in his 40s who collapsed at a restaurant in Salisbury with his female dinner guest was
said to be in a critical but stable condition today.
A major incident was declared yesterday when the man, who is believed to be Russian, and a
woman in her 30s became unwell at a Prezzo restaurant in the city. Roads were cordoned off
and police and paramedics wearing protective suits were deployed amid heightened tensions
following the deadly Novichok attack.
Police tonight said tests were 'ongoing' as officers work to establish whether the pair are
victims of an deliberate attempt to poison them. Tonight police officers were standing outside the
Prezzo, which remained closed and cordoned off, and staff were being allowed in.
It remains unclear when it will re-open for business.
A Wiltshire Police spokeswoman said: 'Tests are continuing to help us build up a picture of what
led these two people to fall ill but, due to the recent nerve agent incidents in the county, tests were
immediately carried out which enabled us to rule out that they had been exposed to Novichok.
'The cordon at Prezzo is likely to remain in place at this time as a precautionary measure.'
Detective Sergeant Jonathan Davies-Bateman said: 'Although we were able to rule out the presence
of Novichok quickly, tests are ongoing to understand what, if anything, the pair have come into contact
with which may have caused them to fall unwell.
'It is crucial this is done methodically. At this stage, it is unclear as to whether or not a crime has been
committed.' Fears the duo had become the latest Novichok victims were allayed after police said
there was nothing to suggest the nerve agent had caused them to fall ill.
Offices closed Prezzo and nearby roads after the 'medical incident' at 5.30pm near to where ex-Russian
spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned. Witnesses described police 'covering someone
up with a blanket', and claimed the victims were Russian. Police took diners to an empty shop after the
incident.
Amanda Worne, who was at Prezzo, tweeted: 'Salisbury leaps into action again as two Russians are taken
ill in Prezzos showing the same symptoms as before. We were next to them.'
Sam Proudfoot, 16, tweeted: 'Trouble in Salisbury again near the cathedral.
There's a man in a full white body suit with a mouth-mask.'
Another witness told the BBC that one of the people taken ill was a blonde woman in her late twenties.
The female appeared to be at the table on her own and 'kept going away and coming back'.
The witness added: 'When she came back she was hysterical.
'She called paramedics and the next thing an ambulance turns up and they come rushing in.'
The source added that the man the woman had been with had gone to the toilet and had had a fit.
Amanda Newton, who was in the restaurant, posted on Facebook: 'Two people sitting next to us taken
seriously ill and the whole area is closed. We may need blood tests at hospital.'
Phil Downton, a member of staff at the nearby New Inn said that the diners were brought to the pub until
the all-clear was given at about 1am.
He said: 'We weren't allowed to go near them, they were on one side of the pub and we were told not
to go in there just in case of contamination if it was something.'
A business owner five doors away from the Prezzo said her company had suffered significant losses
since the first Novichok attack in March this year.
Sarah Orton, owner of Roly's Fudge Pantry, said her company are £25,000 worse off than they were
this time last year and last night's episode was an overreaction on the part of emergency services.
The 54-year-old said: 'They should have dealt with it quietly but instead there were multiple police
cars and ambulances, it just makes the whole incident seem worse than it is.
'The police are overreacting and it's having a huge effect on the city and the businesses here, it's
giving Salisbury a very bad reputation...'
The rest is about Salisbury residents complaining about tourism loss.
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe.