Armed Soldiers To Be Gradually Withdrawn From Streets As Terror Threat Lowered

Troops will be gradually withdrawn from the streets from Monday onwards, having been drafted in to bolster police numbers.

Operation Temperer, which allows the military to be deployed to key sites, will continue until the end of the bank holiday, the Prime Minister said.

"To provide maximum reassurance to the public Operation Temperer will continue to operate until the Bank Holiday concludes."

Theresa May lowered the terror threat level as fresh arrests and raids have been carried out linked to Monday's suicide bombing.

It has now been reduced to "severe", meaning a further assault is "highly likely".

The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) increased the threat level to "critical" - its highest level - meaning a further terror attack was considered "imminent".

Speaking after a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee, Theresa May said the decision had been taken after "a significant amount of police activity" over the last 24 hours.

She said:

"The public should be clear about what this means - a threat level of severe means an attack is highly likely. The country should remain vigilant."

The attack, in which 22 people were killed, was the worst terrorist atrocity to hit Britain since the July 7 attacks in London in 2005.

The de-escalation came as a street in Manchester's Moss Side was evacuated by counter-terror officers.