World War 3 is coming – maybe – so it’s probably worth knowing where we shouldn’t be running to in the event of all-out missile-related chaos. With Vladimir Putin issuing a stark “I will attack you” warning to Europe, and as Donald Trump stands on the edge of causing a war with Venezuela, the chances of Britain getting caught in the crosshairs are pretty high.
And while we can all assume that places like London and Manchester would be the number one targets, many would think that running to small towns and hiding forever would be a good option.
Well, sorry Daily Star readers, that couldn’t be further from the truth. With a little help from Google’s artificial intelligence-powered large language model called Gemini, we sought to find out the 10 least safe towns you can go to – or avoid.
(Image: Daily Star/Getty)
The 10 least-safe towns to go to:
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Helensburgh (Near HMNB Clyde/Faslane – Nuclear Submarine Base)
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Newbury/Theale (Near former/current military comms and logistics sites, and M4 corridor)
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Barrow-in-Furness (Major Submarine/Defence Shipbuilding)
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Lakenheath/Mildenhall (Near key US Air Bases in Suffolk)
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Swindon (Major logistics/rail/industrial hub, close to Bristol/M4 corridor)
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Ipswich/Lowestoft (Major ports, near former/current radar and intelligence sites)
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Aldershot/Farnborough (Near major Army garrisons and defence industry)
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Didcot/Abingdon (Near scientific/defence R&D and logistical rail lines)
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Tadcaster (Near strategic A1/M1 links and regional industrial targets)
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Dartford/Gravesend (On the Thames Estuary near major ports, refining, and London’s periphery)
Gemini explained: “Helensburgh in Scotland is arguably the most dangerous location, as it sits right beside HMNB Clyde (Faslane), the home base for the UK’s nuclear deterrent. Neutralizing this base would be the highest priority for an adversary, making the surrounding area a prime target for a counterforce strike.
(Image: Getty Images)
“Similarly, Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria is highly vulnerable because the BAE Systems shipyard there is the sole facility in the UK for building nuclear submarines, representing an essential military-industrial capacity that an enemy would seek to eliminate.
“Further south, towns like Lakenheath and Mildenhall in Suffolk are at extreme risk because they are adjacent to massive US Air Force bases that serve as critical NATO staging and power-projection hubs.
“Finally, Newbury and the surrounding areas, including Theale, are key targets due to their proximity to highly strategic communications nodes and sensitive defence science facilities like AWE Aldermaston, which are vital for command, control, and weapons research.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
“All five of these areas are critical to the UK’s defence and operational capabilities, guaranteeing they would be prioritised for destruction.”
Don’t worry, though, because our Government appears to be ready for such an event – sort of.
The last time a Government minister spoke about World War 3 was under the last government when then-UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said in 20245: “”We find ourselves at the dawn of this new era – the Berlin Wall a distant memory – and we’ve come full circle, moving from a post-war to a pre-war world.”
One can only hope that good ol’ Grant prepared well enough that the current Labour government has all the tools to deal with all-out war.
Maybe not . . .
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