An anti-nerve agent drug never before used on a patient in the UK was administered to one of the Novichok victims to save his life, according to a top official in the emergency services.

Charlie Rowley, 45, was exposed to the same noxious substance used to attack ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March last year.

Mr Rowley and Dawn Sturgess, 44, fell ill in Amesbury months later after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the Novichok poisonings. Ms Sturgess died in July last year.

Wayne Darch, the head of emergency preparedness, resilience and response at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), has revealed that Mr Rowley was given an anti-nerve agent which paramedics began to carry in response to the terrorist threat.

In an interview with The Guardian, the official said his team “did a fantastic job under difficult circumstances and undoubtedly saved Charlie’s life”.

He explained that the first call following the collapse of Ms Sturgess was received at 10.15am on 30 June.

Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Show all 40 1 /40 Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Forensic investigators, wearing protective suits, emerge with bagged evidence from the rear of John Baker House in Salisbury, after it was confirmed that two people living in Amesbury had been poisoned with the nerve-agent Novichok. Reuters Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Dawn Sturgess, a mother-of-three from Durrington, died after being exposed to novichok Facebook Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok British police are scouring sections of Salisbury and Amesbury in southwest England, searching for a container feared to be contaminated with traces of the deadly nerve agent Novichok. Reuters Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Officers hope that Charlie Rowley, whose partner Dawn died in hospital, can help them establish how the couple came to be contaminated AFP Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok An investigator in a chemical suit works behind screens erected in Rollestone Street PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Fire and Rescue Service personel arrive with safety equipment at the site of a housing estate on Muggleton Road, after it was confirmed that two people had been poisoned with the nerve-agent novichok, in Amesbury Reuters Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Forensic investigators at John Baker House Reuters Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Police and military personnel seized a car from a quiet residential street in Swindon as part of their ongoing investigations into the nerve agent incident in Salisbury and Amesbury SWNS Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Emergency workers in military protective suits search the fenced off John Baker House AP Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok A forensic investigator, wearing a protective suit, emerges from the rear of John Baker House, after it was confirmed that two people had been poisoned with the nerve-agent Novichok, in Amesbury, Britain, July 6, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls HENRY NICHOLLS Reuters Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Forensic investigators at John Baker House Reuters Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Emergency services arrive at John Baker House EPA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Dorset Fire and Rescue Service at the house PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Tents set up by search teams are seen at the end of Rollestone Street, outside the John Baker House for homeless people in Salisbury. British police are scouring sections of Salisbury and Amesbury in southwest England, searching for a container feared to be contaminated with traces of the deadly nerve agent Novichok. AP Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Dorset Fire and Rescue Service at the house in Muggleton Road PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Fire and Rescue Service safety equipment Reuters Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Police activity at the house in Muggleton Road PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Emergency services arrive at John Baker House EPA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Fire and Rescue Service safety equipment PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Police tents are erected outside a residential address in Amesbury, southern England, on July 6, 2018 where police reported a man and woman were found unconscious in circumstances that sparked a major incident after contact with what was later identified as the nerve agent Novichok. Police on July 6, 2018, raced to find the object that contaminated a British couple with the Soviet-made Novichok nerve agent in southwestern England where a former Russian spy was poisoned with the same toxin four months ago. / AFP PHOTO / Chris J RatcliffeCHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP/Getty Images CHRIS J RATCLIFFE AFP/Getty Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Emergency services arrive at the house in Muggleton Road in Amesbury PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Members of the emergency services at the house in Muggleton Road PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Gas masks AFP/Getty Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Forensic tents outside John Baker House on Rolleston Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, where counter-terrorism police are investigating after a couple were left in a critical condition when they were exposed to the nerve agent Novichok. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday July 6, 2018. Dawn Sturgess, 44, and Charlie Rowley, 45, were taken ill on Saturday in Amesbury, around eight miles from where former Russian spy and his daughter were poisoned with the same substance in Salisbury in March. See PA story POLICE Amesbury. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire Sam Blewett PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Fire and Rescue Service personel prepare safety equipment Reuters Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Police investigators arrive at the site of a housing estate on Muggleton Road Reuters Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok A police officer stands guard behind the housing estate REUTERS Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Police on the scene Getty Images Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok The couple remain in a critical condition at Salisbury District Hospital AFP/Getty Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok In March Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were poisoned with the Russian-made Novichok in the town of Salisbury. British Prime Minister Theresa May has accused Russia of being behind the attack on the former spy and his daughter, expelling 23 Russian diplomats in retaliation Getty Images Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok British police are cordoning off places the people are known to have visited before falling ill EPA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok British police officers stand outside a residential property in Amesbury AP Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Deputy Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police Paul Mills makes a statement to the press outside The Bowman Centre after Wiltshire Police declared the situation a major incident Getty Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Amesbury Baptist Centre PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Amesbury resident Sam Hobson, speaks to assembled press outside Amesbury Baptist Centre claiming to be a friend of the man and woman exposed to an unknown substance Getty Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok The pair were found unconscious at an address in Muggleton Road, Amesbury Getty Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Police cordon at Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury. The town is around 10 miles from Salisbury where former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in a suspected nerve agent attack PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Deputy Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police Paul Mills makes a statement Getty Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Police officers stand outside Boots pharmacy, near to the Barcroft Medical Centre in Amesbury PA Amesbury major incident after couple exposed to novichok Amesbury Baptist Centre PA

Mr Darch said that there was nothing to make those responding think it was another poisoning, but when a second call was logged for the same address at 6.20pm it was highlighted to the local commander who had helped the Skripals and went to Mr Rowley’s property.

“It’s unusual that we would get called to the same address on the same day for two separate patients,” he told the newspaper.

“The crew that attended Charlie took a particular course of treatment. When that wasn’t effective, they suspected that it may be nerve agent.”

Without confirmation that he had come into contact with Novichok or another nerve agent, the paramedics put on protective suits, face masks, aprons and gloves, and treated Mr Rowley as if he had.

Previously unaware he had been given the anti-nerve antidote, in response to the revelation Mr Rowley said he is “very grateful” to the emergency services. He added: “I have to take my hat off to everyone who helped us.”

Dawn Sturgess, who died after being exposed to nerve agent novichok (PA Archive/PA Images) (Metropolitan Police/PA)

In the wake of the two Novichok incidents, a number of paramedics who responded to them reported feeling unwell with issues including headaches and sore throats.

A spokesman for the SWASFT said: “Following what was a very stressful period for those who responded to the Novichok incidents, all crews involved in these incidents were given a full range of support and were cleared for work by Occupational Health on the specialist advice of Public Health England.

“We recognise that this was a difficult and uncertain time for our crews.

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“They received daily contact from their managers, one-to-one sessions, group debriefs, specialist TRIM and Red Poppy counselling sessions, health monitoring from Public Health England and rapid access to Occupational Healthand the Trust's Staying Well Service. This was also made available to their families.

“They all also received specialist advice and support in line with Public Health England guidelines in relation to a range of concerns, including signs, symptoms and blood testing as well as quarantine for equipment and uniforms. Access to this support continues to be available to any member of staff who has any ongoing concerns.”

Two Russian nationals have been accused of travelling to the UK to try to murder Mr Skripal with Novichok - smearing the highly-toxic substance on the door handle of his home.

Evidence gathered by intelligence agencies led the government to conclude that the men were officers from the Russian military intelligence service, the GRU.

The suspects – known by their aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov – were caught on CCTV in Salisbury the day before the attack.

Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement, with president Vladimir Putin claiming the two suspects were civilians, and the pair stating in an interview that they were tourists visiting Salisbury’s famous cathedral.