'Be alert' advice as UK terror threat level reduced

Armed police at the Hay Festival site on Friday

Police forces in Wales have advised people to remain "alert but not alarmed" as the UK threat level is reduced from critical to severe.

Prime Minister Theresa May made the announcement on Saturday.

It had been set at critical in the aftermath of the bombing at Manchester Arena which killed 22 people and left scores injured.

Former counter terrorism minister Kim Howells said there is still a "likelihood of an attack".

Speaking to BBC Wales, he said security over the bank holiday weekend was key preparation for the Champions League final, which takes place in Cardiff on 3 June, and security authorities will be looking "very carefully" at the main suspects in the south Wales area.

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North Wales Police officers at a UB40 concert in Wrexham on Friday

South Wales Police said it would still have armed officers in Cardiff and Swansea and places with high footfall like McArthur Glen in Bridgend.

North Wales Police said it had armed police at a UB40 concert in Wrexham on Friday night, and continues to have some at ports, as has been the case for the past few days.

Gwent Police said it would have more armed police across the area and Dyfed-Powys Police said it was doing all it could to keep the public safe, and was reviewing security at all events and key locations.

'Maximum visibility'

South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Richard Lewis said Operation Temperer, which is the deployment of additional officers across Wales, will remain in place until the end of the bank holiday.

He said the public will continue to see "additional overtly armed officers at key locations and on the streets" over the next few days.

"As we move into next week we will continue to review our deployments to ensure maximum visibility of both armed and unarmed officers across the force area."

ACC Liane James, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: "Our priority is to maintain a visible and reassuring presence in our communities, and we are doing all that we can to continue to provide the response our communities would expect in order to keep them safe".

"We ask our communities to be vigilant and to report any concerns they may have."