STAFF at City of York Council are being urged to be vigilant, following the killing of al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden by American special forces in Pakistan.

Employees have been warned in an internal memo that the national threat level regarding the possibility of a terrorist attack remained at severe, indicating that a terrorist attack was highly likely.

It said local authorities, together with the police, were responsible for ensuring the safety of our communities.

Staff have been told that if they are aware of anything that looks “out of the ordinary” and which they believe may be terrorist-related, they should phone the confidential anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321.