The Salisbury man struck down by the Novichok nerve agent which killed his girlfriend was contaminated when the container containing the chemical weapon splintered in his hand, his brother revealed on Sunday.

Charlie Rowley was discharged from hospital on Friday, after spending 20 days in hospital recovering from the effects of the military grade nerve agent which took the life of Dawn Sturgess two weeks ago.

Shortly before being released from Salisbury District Hospital Mr Rowley told his brother Matthew that he and Miss Sturgess, 44, were contaminated after handling a container disguised as a perfume bottle.

It came as police continued a fingertip search of Queen Elizabeth Gardens, the park in Salisbury where Mr Rowley and Miss Sturgess are believed to have stumbled across the glass bottle.

Officers have been examining a river which flows through the gardens and have now also turned their attention to a toilet block next to a car park used by hundreds of people before it was sealed off.