Police and special forces have been ordered to prepare for as many as 10 simultaneous terror strikes on London, it has been reported.

Soldiers based outside the capital, as well as the SAS and the Metropolitan Police, are said to be on standby in case terrorists target multiple locations in co-ordinated attacks.

A minister described as familiar with the proposals told the Sunday Times: “We used to plan for three simultaneous attacks but Paris has shown that you need to be ready for more than that. We are ready if someone tries with seven, eight, nine, ten.”

As part of the plans, the National Crime Agency has been told to prioritise cracking down on firearms amid fears of a such an attack on British soil.

A spokeswoman said the NCA was working with its partners including the Met to tackle the threat posed by the criminal use of firearms.

A Home Office spokesman said they did not comment on operational matters and matters of national security.

It comes after a prime suspect in the deadly Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, was charged following his arrest.

French prosecutors, who are requesting his extradition from Belgium, said he had allegedly planned to be a suicide bomber but backed out at the last minute then went on the run.