Sabrina Burr, 38, who lives less than 200 metres away from Mr Rowley’s home in Muggleton Road, Amesbury, said: “I can’t believe that something so deadly could be so close. It’s scary to think what could have happened, children play around here, what if something happened to them?

“I’m quite concerned that anyone around here could have been exposed, it makes me a little angry. Is there more of it?”

Ms Burr added: “I’m happy police have found it but I hope this is the only source of it, if they could just pick it up, then anyone could.”

Officers yesterday continued their forensic examination of Mr Rowley’s home, where a fire engine and a special incident response ambulance remained in position.

Another of Mr Rowley’s neighbours said she is now scared to let her children play either on the green next to his home or in Queen Elizabeth Gardens.

She said: “It's really scary knowing that something that can kill you so easily was just hundreds of metres away from my home and children.

“You would see Charlie and Dawn around, they were always very nice, but to think they were carrying something so deadly is horrible.”

She added: “It's scary that they were able to just pick it up off of the floor. I hope there isn’t anymore, but you just never know, I don’t think we will ever know for sure.”