POLICE have said it is safe for people to go into King's Wood despite the ongoing mass search for evidence linked to an alleged terror plot to blow up planes.

Swarms of anti-terror police from Scotland Yard have been rooting through the wood between Totteridge and Micklefield for the last three weeks after suspects were arrested in the area on August 10.

Rumours have been flying around the town that explosives and detonators were found in the woods, but police have told people in the area that they should not be afraid.

"With all the police about, the woods are probably safer now than they ever have been," said Inspector Paul Gration at a meeting on Thursday night called to reassure residents.

"You should take this chance to enjoy the woods."

Sergeant Jon Taylor confirmed that the woods search by the Metropolitan Police was likely to spread across a wider area in the next few weeks.

He said: "If there was a risk to public safety we would let you know. Go for your walks as normal, and if you meet a man in an orange jacket telling you not to go any further, just go a different way."

Police also started searching woods in Booker Common, off Lane End Road last week.