Households across the UK are being urged to stockpile seven key items now because an 'attack on the UK is likely' according to a former defence minister.

Tobias Ellwood, former Defence Minister and MP, says the UK must 'wake up and start preparing' because of the likelihood of a 'grey zone attack' which could affect the country's infrastructure, energy or food supplies. Mr Ellwood went on record on Thursday to urge people to be prepared for 'real world scenarios we must seriously consider' including drone attacks, internet outages and

He urged households to stockpile seven key items including drinking water, food and radios as well as iodine tablets. Writing in PoliticsHome, he said: "What if your phone buzzed with a national alert warning of a swarm drone attack en route to your city - where would you go? How would you respond?

"These aren't scenes from a dystopian thriller - they're real-world scenarios we must now seriously consider.

"Britain is now facing a surge in grey-zone warfare - deniable, covert attacks aimed at weakening our economy, undermining our infrastructure, and sowing confusion and panic. Russia's so-called shadow fleet is already mapping the UK's undersea cable networks - those vital arteries that deliver our electricity, gas and data. Autonomous underwater vehicles are criss-crossing the seabed, gathering intelligence.

"This isn't speculation - Russia's ambassador to the UK recently acknowledged that sensors had been placed in British waters, after several devices washed ashore. The Royal Navy is responding, ramping up its ability to detect threats and developing its own unmanned underwater vehicles. But this fight doesn't begin and end with the military."

Mr Ellwood urged households to stock up on these seven key items:

• Clean water (at least 100 litres)

• Non-perishable food (such as tinned food and food that can be eaten cold)

• Candles and a working torch

• A battery-powered radio

• Iodine tablets in case of nuclear fallout

• Cash

• A basic first aid kit

He added: "The era of complacency is over. A significant grey-zone attack on the UK is not just possible - it's likely. If we want to protect our lives, our economy and our democracy, we must get ready now."

The UK's own emergency website, Prepare UK, echoes the call from the former defence minister.

It also urges Brits to stock up on essential foods, radios, batteries and spare phone battery packs among other key items.

It says: " happen every day in the UK and across the world. They can be caused by severe weather or other natural hazards, by deliberate actions, or as a result of accidents or infrastructure failure. They can be events that happen quickly and are over in a few hours, or they can develop and continue over the course of several days, months, or sometimes even longer.

"Consider what supplies you and your household might need during an emergency lasting a few days, such as a power cut or water outage, or situations where you are advised to stay at home or to leave your home (evacuate) for safety reasons."

It adds that households should also consider stocking up on baby supplies, hand sanitiser and wet wipes and a portable power bank as well as bottled water, first aid kits and non-perishable food.