Alert was given before City bomb

A warning that a major IRA attack was imminent was sent to police forces throughout Britain the day before a massive bomb devastated the City of London on Saturday. However Special Branch did not know where or when the attack would take place.

Despite extra checkpoints and the rerouting of VIPs in London the terrorists managed to drive the tipper truck containing the one-ton bomb into Bishopsgate.

Last night a Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'An information message was circulated on Friday. It called for increased vigilance from police officers given a heightened threat.' He refused to give further details.