SOLDIERS have replaced police officers in patrolling Hartlepool Power Station following the upping of the national terrorist threat level to ‘critical’.

But Cleveland Police said this was simply so the armed police there could be freed up for other national deployments and did not indicate a specific threat.

The facility, on the edge of Hartlepool, is usually monitored by civil nuclear constabulary police officers, who have now been replaced by military personnel.

The force said it had increased certain armed and unarmed patrols and there would continue to be an increased police presence at public events in order to protect and reassure residents.

Assistant Chief Constable Adrian Roberts said: “The public may also see armed officers on trains having been deployed by British Transport Police (BTP).

“It has confirmed that the patrols will take place mostly on routes between major cities to disrupt and deter criminal activity, but there is no specific intelligence of a threat to train passengers.

“The increase in the threat level may also mean additional security checks at ports, airports and rail stations.”

He added: “Acts of terrorism and hate crimes are committed by a small minority of people and are not representative of the public.

“This is a time for us all to work closely together and unite against those who seek, through violence and extremism, to intimidate or cause fear.”