THE police officer poisoned by novichok in the Salisbury attacks says HE was accused of being the assassin who tried to kill Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

       Former-Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey was left fighting for his life after being exposed to the nerve agent on a door handle in March 2018.

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       Nick Bailey was left fighting for his life after being exposed to the nerve agent in March 2018 Credit: BBC 4

       Mr Bailey said he was accused of being the assassin who tried to kill Sergei and Yulia Skripal Credit: Rex

       Now, Mr Bailey has told how he was accused of trying to kill Russian double agent Skripal himself, as Russian authorities spread bizarre conspiracies about the failed assassination attempt.

       In Discovery Plus documentary Secrets of the Salisbury Poisonings - set to hit UK screens on Boxing Day - the former cop also told how he was "just a normal guy doing his job" when disaster struck, the Daily Mail reports.

       Mr Bailey said: "I was just a normal guy, normal police officer doing his job, and Sunday, March 4, 2018, happened and it changed my life forever."

       He described the "tsunami of pure heat and fire" which started his 17-day stint in hospital.

       Mr Bailey added: "Even the staff at the hospital were scared about how this was going to work and what was going on. It was pure terror.

       "I cried a lot because I was so scared. I thought it’s only a matter of time before I slip into a coma and die."

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       Alexander Mishkin and Anatoly Chepiga - two members of the Russian security services - are suspected of carrying out the deadly attack.

       He told documentary makers: "At one point I was accused of being the assassin. I was accused of being Sergei’s handler. I was accused of working for MI6."

       Mr Bailey did not say who made the allegations.

       On the day of the 2018 attack, Mr Bailey sped to help Mr Skripal and his daughter after they were discovered collapsed on a bench in Salisbury.

       It was revealed that the pair had been victims of a nerve agent attack - which was later confirmed as being novichok.

       After further investigation, it was discovered that the nerve agent had been administered to the property's door handle, and that Mr Bailey had become contaminated during his investigation of the house.

       He later quit the force, saying the poisoning "took so much from me".

       Dawn Sturgess died after she and her boyfriend Charlie Rowley were exposed to the same Novichok nerve agent.

       The two Russians accused of carrying out the attack were seen visiting Salisbury at the time.

       They later gave the now infamous interview claiming they had been in the area to visit the famous "123-metre spire".

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       Mr Bailey sped to help Mr Skripal and his daughter after they were discovered collapsed Credit: PA 4

       Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga, seen in Salisbury, are suspected of carrying out the deadly attack Credit: Getty

       Salisbury poisoning: Third Russian spy is charged with attempted murder after Novichok hit killed 1 and injured 4