GOVERNMENTS across the globe were warned today to be alert to the risks of chemical or biological terrorist attack.

The World Health Organisation released a draft report of its technical guide - Health Aspects of Biological and Chemical Weapons - several months earlier than planned.

The organisation called on governments to speed up their preparations for possible germ warfare attacks in the wake of the terror attacks on the US.

Dr David Nabarro, executive director of the WHO, said: "We hope that we are not being alarmist.

"Several countries have contacted the WHO over the last few days just wanting to reassure themselves about the kind of precautions they need to take in case there was any kind of deliberate use of biological agents.

"We think it is prudent to respond to make sure they get the information they need to plan in case such a terrible thing was to happen."

Alastair Hay, Professor of Environmental Toxicology at Leeds University, said: "Terrorist groups have not resorted to biological warfare in the past. This was felt to be because it is so indiscriminate, it's counter-productive.

"The germs pose a very serious risk to the person making or disposing of the weapon but given what happened in New York, with the terrorists willing to kill anyone as well as end their own lives, that argument may no longer hold."

York people worried about the risk of a chemical or biological attacks on Britain have begun trying to buy gas masks from army surplus stores in York.

"We have had loads of calls from people asking for gas masks," said a spokeswoman for the Army & Navy Stores in Fossgate. "But we don't sell them. I had one woman almost in tears, saying: "Where am I going to get them from?"

Mike Yates, of the Sur-Plus shop in Fishergate, said he received five calls yesterday morning from people wanting gas masks, and he received 15 Russian Army masks today.

He thought the sudden surge of interest had been caused by "media hype,", and said he personally questioned the true worth of such equipment if there was such an attack.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the Home Office's emergency planning college near Easingwold could play a key role in preparations for a possible biological or chemical terrorist attack on Britain.

The college at Hawkhills is reported to be already staging a series of seminars on how to respond to the potentially overwhelming number of casualties caused by such an attack.

The seminars are said to have been sparked in the spring after Special Branch officers discovered instructions on how to deploy the nerve gas Sarin during raids on houses in London in February.

Senior regional NHS managers have stepped up their existing emergency plans to take account of the possibility of much greater numbers of casualties, following the World Trade Centre attack.

The Department of Health said that, in the light of the USA attacks, it has been working with Regional Directors of Public Health and emergency planning managers in the NHS to ensure its "established and highly regarded" emergency plans are fully up to date, and as flexible as possible.

"We have asked these senior managers to examine how they would 'scale up' these plans to be able to deal with greater numbers of casualties," said a spokesman.

Updated: 14:53 Tuesday, September 25, 2001