Met Police warns people to be vigilant before Christmas

The Met Police said officers would be on patrol at crowded spaces such as Winter Wonderland

The head of the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism unit is urging people to be vigilant while out in London ahead of Christmas.

Cdr Dominic Murphy told BBC London there was no evidence of a specific threat, but said officers were in a "heightened state of readiness".

Officers will be on patrol at crowded spaces in the capital, such as Winter Wonderland.

This includes the force's Project Servator officers.

The Met said they were "specially trained to spot the tell-tale signs that someone is planning or preparing to commit a crime".

'Trust your instincts'

Cdr Murphy said: "While there is no specific threat to London, it is exceptionally busy over the festive period and the current threat level for terrorism is 'substantial' so everyone needs to be vigilant.

"People in London have literally helped us save lives by reporting their concerns to us. Please trust your instincts and contact us if something doesn't feel right."

In a statement, the force said about a fifth of the 13,000 national reports to counter-terrorism police were particularly useful to investigations, and many "had a significant link to London".

It advised people to report anything they think is suspicious online, or to contact police - but to always dial 999 in an emergency.

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