Britain was placed in lockdown today as soldiers were put on guard outside Buckingham Palace and Downing Street.
As the police continued a frantic hunt for accomplices of the Manchester bomber, Scotland Yard announced that troops were being deployed to guard “key locations” including the Palace of Westminster, embassies and other sensitive sites in major cities.
The UK’s threat level has been raised to critical with 984 military personnel being deployed around the country
In London, Changing the Guard at the Palace was cancelled and Parliament was closed to the public. The Old Bailey’s public galleries were also shut.
Soldiers are likely to be on duty at this weekend’s FA Cup final at Wembley and the Twickenham rugby premiership final.
Armed police will guard concerts in the capital this weekend and at major events such as the Chelsea Flower Show.
There are fears an Islamist bombmaker may be on the loose because of the sophistication of the device used in the Manchester attack on Monday.
Security sources said police and intelligence agencies were working flat out to prevent “more bad stuff”.
Up to 3,800 soldiers were being deployed to protect sites across the UK as armed police officers mounted “roaming” patrols around train stations, shopping centres and other sites.
