'We face three decades of terrorist threats', warns former police chief

Former police chief Lord Stevens will today deliver the chilling warning that Britain faces the threat of attack by 'increasingly adaptive and capable' terrorists for the next three decades.

The former Met Commissioner is to unveil Tory plans for a dedicated border police force with its own chief constable, charged with protecting our borders from terrorists, smugglers and illegal immigrants.

Following a two-year study of border security, Lord Stevens will say he has identified a string of weaknesses, including the easy access to UK airspace for small aircraft, and the threat of explosives being placed in a plane's cargo hold.

Among a number of new proposals, he will demand far tighter regulation of private security firms working at airports.

Lord Stevens will warn: '(Terrorists) will seek to exploit areas of weakness, including inter-agency fault lines.'