A REGIONAL counter-terrorism police chief has warned people not to be complacent over the threat of attacks on UK soil.

Det Supt Ian Saunders, head of Counter Terrorism Policing South West, said: “Thankfully, we did not see the horrors of 2017 repeated last year, but we should not be complacent enough to think the terrorist threat has diminished – the UK threat level remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.

“Counter Terrorism Policing officers are currently running more than 700 live investigations nationwide, while crucial intelligence from the public has helped police and the security services prevent 18 terror attacks in just under two years.We have been emphasising for some time that communities defeat terrorism, and the fact that more and more reports from the public provide information that is useful to our officers demonstrates this."

"I know some people are still reluctant to speak to us. To them I say, reporting your concerns to us won’t ruin lives, but it might save them.”

A new advertising campaign will run in cinemas this week, encouraging people to report concerns about suspicious activity by calling the hotline number 0800 789 321.