UK ON ALERT: Gatwick and Heathrow on HEIGHTENED security and Eurostar trains cancelled

BRITISH airports including Heathrow and Gatwick are ramping up security measures in the wake of the Brussels terror attacks, while the Eurostar has cancelled all trains to the Belgian capital.

Airports told Express.co.uk they are increasing police presence after this morning’s attacks on Brussels’ Zaventem Airport, and Maalbeek Metro station.

No flights will run from the UK to the Belgian capital either today or tomorrow.

The Home Office has also stepped up presence in ports including St Pancras and Dover.

At London Heathrow, passengers were met by an increased police presence.

A spokesman for the airport said: “We take the safety and security of our passengers and colleagues very seriously. In the light of events in Brussels airport, we are working with the police at Heathrow who are providing a high visibility presence.

“We expect flights to Brussels Airport to be affected and ask passengers travelling there to check their flight status with their airline.”

A spokesman for Gatwick Airport also said there was a higher police presence, adding: “The safety of passengers and staff at Gatwick is the airport’s absolute priority. As a result of the terrible incidents in Brussels, we have increased our security presence and patrols around the airport.”

Newcastle Airport also confirmed a flight to Brussels had been diverted to the Dutch town of Maastricht.

A Manchester Airport spokesman said: "In response to this morning's events at Brussels Airport, the police presence has been increased in landside areas at Manchester Airport.

"It is important to note that these are precautionary measures and we continue to closely monitor the situation.

"If flying to Brussels please check your flight status with your airline."

A spokesman for Transport for London said they were unaware of an increase in the terror threat level and had not planned to change operations.

There were further fears in Durham where police sealed off streets when a suspect package was found.
The area around Old Shire Hall on Old Elvet was cordoned off at 9.30am and people in nearby businesses were evacuated.

Bomb disposal experts carried out two controlled explosions on the case.

A police spokesman said: "An inspection of the item will now take place."

A spokesman for travel organisation ABTA said British holidaymakers in Brussels should follow the instructions of the Belgian authorities, while those due to travel should contact their transport provider.

He added that although Belgium is a popular destination for UK visitors, March is "one of the quieter months for leisure travel".

Eurostar said its services to and form Brussels were suspended until further notice.

It said it would run two services between the Belgian capital and London today for those seeking urgent travel.

Trains were expected to resume today.

A Home Office statement read: “A heightened Border Force presence at ports: targeted Border Force presence at ports, with additional security checks on some flights; specialist search dogs deployed at key ports including St Pancras and Dover.”

Eurostar passengers told of the fear gripping Brussels as they arrived in London following the airport and Metro massacres.

They said the Belgian capital had lived under a cloud of anxiety following its links with last year’s Paris terror attacks.

Residents leaving the last cross-Channel train before services were suspended, said tension reached a new level after last week’s arrest of Paris ringleader Salah Abdeslam.

British expat Richard Bullard said as he arrived at London’s St Pancras station that he feared his wife may have been caught up in the Metro blast.

Mr Bullard, 45, who declined to give his wife’s name, said she had been using Maelbeek station just minutes before it was torn apart by an explosion.

“She went through Maelbeek station just 15 minutes before,” he said.

“I was so worried. I couldn’t get through to her. All the phone lines are completely saturated. I’ve only just got the email to say she’s fine.

“She has got one colleague unaccounted for. She works 20 metres from the station.

“Thank God, her colleague has been found fine.”

The public affairs executive also criticised Belgian police and security services for not protecting the besieged city.

“There’s a lot of concern in Brussels but I didn’t expect this to happen.

“Brussels is a very vulnerable city. There’s nowhere near enough police, police cuts have been terrible.

“Security serves are very thin and normally they send their time spying on spies at NATO rather than policing the city.”

Katarina Wallin Bureau, a chief operating officer at Barson-Marstellar, described Brussels as a city living in fear of an atrocity.

The 41-year-old said: “People had started getting back to normal then there was the arrests.

“But it’s supposed to be high security right now but it’s meaningless when these things happen. It’s a very scary world right now.”

Marketing executive Sara Munoz, 38, said: “There was a lot of fear in the city, particularly after what happened a couple of days ago.

“We are scared but we keep going, we don’t have a choice. Many people are scared after what’s happened in the past.

“There were fears after they got that suspected terrorist guy.”

Nathalie Blocry, a computer programmer working at Free University of Brussels, added: “Everything has been closed down.”

Ms Blocry, who lives in Molenbeek, the ghetto where the Paris terror cell based themselves, added: “There’s some crazy people living their but they are in a minority.”

UPDATE: No trains are currently running to or from Brussels Midi. Brussels customers are advised to postpone, and not come to station.

— Eurostar (@Eurostar) March 22, 2016