PRIME Minister Boris Johnson says that it would be "best" for Salisbury if "we all moved on" from last year's Novichok poisonings.

Speaking to the Journal while meeting British troops at a base on Salisbury Plain, he added that the city needed to "take advantage" of its "fantastic qualities and amenities" to be able to do so.

Responding to a question on whether the government planned to help rejuvenate the medieval city's image following last year's attack – in a bid to boost tourism, he said: "Salisbury is a fantastic place, a beautiful, beautiful place to go to. We have already put around £21 million into Salisbury through the [Future] High Street Fund, and there is money we are making available to support town centre regeneration and rejuvenation.

"But, you know, I think the best thing, frankly, for Salisbury is that we all move on.

"Let's be in no doubt, Russia were part of it, and they authorised that attack - which was unconscionable. The world responded and and more than 153 Russian agents were expelled by, I believe, 28 countries around the world."

He added: "I think what happened in Salisbury was appalling; We want Salisbury to move on.

"Nobody can forget the horror of what happened, but it is vital that the city takes advantage of all the fantastic qualities and amenities that it has [to be able to do so]."

As reported, the shocking incident last March was the failed assassination of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal, and his daughter daughter Yulia.

Although the pair survived the attack, local Dawn Sturgess died after coming into contact with the Novichok nerve agent after she and her boyfriend Charlie Rowley found the perfume bottle used to contain the deadly substance.

Primary suspects Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov have yet to be charged for the crimes.