British spies have foiled nine terror attacks in the past 12 months, Andrew Parker, the head of MI5, told the Cabinet this morning.

Mr Parker disclosed the figures as part of a briefing on the current terrorist threat facing the UK.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Mr Parker said that nine terrorist attacks had been prevented in the past year.

“There have five attacks that got through, four of which are related to Islamist terrorism.”

In response Theresa May, the Prime Minister, thanked Mr Parker and MI5 for their “tireless work” tackling terrorism.