The government is set to ask Russia to send two people it suspects of carrying out Novichok poisonings in Wiltshire to the UK for trial, it is reported.

The Guardian newspaper says that Wiltshire Police and the CPS have built a case against two Russian citizens from their movements in the UK after months of close investigation.

The report says the government will ask the Russian government to extradite two of its citizens but that the request is almost sure to be denied.

It expects the tensions between the government and Russia to be made worse by that.

Intelligence bosses in the |UK have unequivocally blamed Russia for the attack against former UK intelligence asset Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March.

The pair have since recovered after intensive treatment in hospital.

In June Charlie Rowley and his partner Dawn Sturgess fell ill after exposure to the nerve agent, possibly after finding what looked like a perfume bottle in Amesbury.

Ms Sturgess died from the poisoning, but Mr Rowley has since been released form hospital.