Sergei Skripal, the former Russian spy, who was poisoned with a nerve agent at his home in Salisbury, has been discharged from hospital, it has been announced.

The 66-year-old was released from Salisbury District Hospital almost ten weeks after he and his daughter, Yulia, 33, were targeted in a novichok attack at his home in Wiltshire.

Mr Skripal was admitted to hospital on March 4 after taking ill along with Julia, during a Sunday afternoon stroll in Salisbury.

Initially the pair were both in a critical condition and it was feared they would not recover.

But both made good progress and in April, Yulia, was discharged from hospital and was moved to a secure location to continue her recuperation.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in March

At the time doctors said her father had also responded "exceptionally well" to treatment and was likely to make a full recovery.

Theresa May, the Prime Minister, has said it was "highly likely" that Russia was behind the attack, but the claim has been denied by Moscow.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said the investigation into poisoning continued. The spokesman said: "This is a complex investigation and detectives continue to gather and piece together all the evidence to establish the full facts and circumstances behind this dreadful attack."

Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who was one of the first responders when the Skripals took ill, was also treated for the effects of the nerve agent, but he was discharged within days.

Sergei Skripal was jailed in Russia in 2006 but moved to the UK in 2010 Credit: AFP

In a statement issued on Friday morning, Lorna Wilkinson, director of nursing at the hospital, said: "We have been able to discharge Sergei Skripal. This is an important stage in his recovery, which will now take place away from the hospital.

"Treating him and the other two people poisoned by this nerve agent, while still providing outstanding care to the other patients who rely on our hospital, has been a huge and unprecedented challenge that I'm proud our staff at Salisbury Hospital have risen to."

Large parts of Salisbury had to be sealed off during the investigation Credit: AFP

Salisbury District Hospital chief executive, Cara Charles-Barks, said: "It is fantastic news that Sergei Skripal is well enough to leave Salisbury District Hospital. That he, Yulia and DS Bailey have been able to leave us so soon after coming into contact with this nerve agent is thanks to the hard work, skill and professionalism of our clinicians, who provide outstanding care to all our patients, day in and day out.

"This has been a difficult time for those caught up in this incident - the patients, our staff and the people of Salisbury. I want to thank the public for their support, and I want to pay a special tribute to both the clinical staff here at the trust and those who work so hard behind the scenes. They've demonstrated the very best of the NHS."

Both Mr Skripal and his daughter are now likely to be given full witness protection by the police and could even be given new identities to protect them from any further attacks.