'Be alert but not alarmed'

"Remain alert but don't be alarmed," was the message from Assistant Chief Constable Steve Watts in the wake of terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow.

Mr Watts said there was no specific terrorist threat to the county - but appealed to members of the public to remain vigilant.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Mr Watts said that officers across the county were being briefed after the failed car bomb attempts in London and Glasgow.

He said: "I've been engaging at a strategic level with chief officers so everyone has an understanding of how to deal with the threat of terrorism.

"We've been working very hard to ensure people in Hampshire remain as safe as possible.

"We've increased patrols across the county and officers will be engaging with people in crowded places to make them aware of the issues.

"Our main message is that we want people to be alert but not alarmed.

"There is currently no specific terrorism threat to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We are, however, putting in place sensible precautions.

"We're briefing officers and staff so they understand what they should be looking for and how to deal with reports."

Mr Watts advised people to report any suspicious activity as quickly as possible - by dialling 999 if necessary.

"If the activity is sufficient enough to arouse suspicion in someone's mind then we want to know about it," he added.

"It may be that reports from the public turn out to be nothing, but it could also be that they are the important link.

"We need to be able to access that intelligence as quickly as possible."

Mr Watts confirmed that police from Hampshire hadn't been sent to London or Glasgow and officers were not being called back from leave.

He added: "There needs to be a proportionate response to the incidents and we need to be careful not to deploy all our resources at once.

"We still have the whole spectrum of policing to respond to."

Call Hampshire Police on 0845 045 4545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111