The police officer who was poisoned in the attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal has told how his family lost their home and all their possessions after he was contaminated with Novichok.

In his first interview since it happened, Det Sgt Nick Bailey told the BBC's Panorama: "Everything the kids owned, we lost all that, the cars, we lost everything."

Det Sgt Bailey came into contact with the nerve agent after being sent to the Skripals' home, where it had been sprayed on the door handle.

After finishing work on that fateful day, he unwittingly contaminated his home. He and his family have so far been unable to return.

Mental scars

The effects have not only been on his health.

"Physically I think I bounced back pretty well thanks to the hospital," he said. He says the fact he was able to walk out of hospital with his wife after two and a half weeks was "incredible".

But the mental scars he has been left with are a "different kettle of fish".

"I describe it as emotional battering," he said. "It's taken longer to deal with just because of everything that's happened to us. Not only did we lose the house, we lost all of our possessions... Everything the kids owned, we lost all that, the cars, we lost everything."

Det Sgt Bailey has never met Sergei and Yulia Skripal, who have also been discharged from hospital.

Looking to the future, he says he has some concerns: "I have passing moments where I think about how it could affect me, but I can't control that.

"It's happened now and I have to just take each day as it comes."

His voice breaking with emotion, he adds: "The public reaction has been overwhelming and I wish I could thank everybody.

"And my family. And my wife who has been the rock, who's held it all together."